Results 4,821-4,840 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers shares a campus with another school. It is my Department's intention to provide each of these schools with 20 classrooms. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation...

Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am currently considering a number of issues relating to the patronage of second-level schools and the matter raised by the Deputy will be considered in this context. I hope to have this process concluded as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 471 to 484, inclusive, together. I have consistently said that the 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE has advised...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162, 164, 175 and 176 together. I have consistently said that the 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The assessment of means under my Department 's third level student support schemes is based on gross income from all sources of the candidate and his/her parents/guardians, where applicable, with certain social welfare and health service executive payments being exempt. It is necessary, therefore, that information regarding all income, including that from after school/weekend employment, is...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I include for the Deputy's information details held by this Department of the schools in County Laois renting prefabricated units in the tabular statement. The latest information is that currently 20 Primary schools are renting 47 classroom units and 1 Post-Primary School is renting 11 classroom units. The average rental cost per classroom unit for Co. Laois is €13,835. As the Deputy will...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an early stage. A technical inspection will be arranged in due course and consistent with the priority attaching to the project. Thereafter, the further progression of the project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will, as with all large scale capital projects, be considered in the...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The members of the Appeal Board are: Dr. Tom McCarthy, Chairperson, Mr. Frank Davis, Ms. Monica Healy, Ms. Mairead McGowan and Mr. Sean Nolan. The information which the Deputy requested in relation to the number of appeals considered by the Appeal Board over the past five years is as follows. It is open to the Board of Management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The tendering process for the awarding of building contracts is under way for the school building projects to which the Deputy refers. No contracts have yet been signed so it would not be appropriate for me to comment further with regard to companies involved. I can say that, subject to the necessary technical and financial approvals, contracts will be placed with the preferred bidders as...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an early stage. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In answer to the Deputy's previous Parliamentary Question of 24 February I replied that my Department was reviewing the position with TCD to ensure that the remuneration levels of the relevant staff were regularised and in full compliance with the recommendations outlined in Report No 42 of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student maintenance grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority, either the local authority or VEC, as appropriate. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department, except in exceptional circumstances. In order to establish the candidate's status as an independent mature student, documentary evidence is required as proof of a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that County Dublin VEC has agreed to dispose of a site to my Department under the terms of a 99 year lease. The Department is waiting the legal documents in relation to same from the VEC. In light of current competing demands on the capital budget of my Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that a new Community College is under construction in Adamstown, which will cater for 1,000 pupils. This school building is planned to come on stream in 2009 and will operate under the patronage of County Dublin VEC. Based on current demographic trends, my Department anticipates that there will be a need for a further post-primary school in Lucan in the medium...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (5 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I presume that the Deputy is referring to a project at the school in question for the removal and disposal of a prefabricated unit containing asbestos and its replacement with a new unit. As an application form had not been received from the school, my Department recently contacted the school management in the matter. When the application is received, it will be addressed as a matter of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for a building project. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The staffing schedule for the 2009/2010 school year, Primary Circular 0002/2009, has been published on my Department's website at www.education.ie and my officials have written to all schools to notify them in this regard. The number of mainstream class teachers appropriate to a school for 2009/10 school year is determined by reference to the school's valid enrolment on 30 September, 2008....

Written Answers — Schools Buildings Projects: Schools Buildings Projects (5 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, on 29 September 2008 I announced that the project in question could proceed. Since February 2008, all Capital Works Projects must use the new GCCC Forms of Construction Contracts for Public Works and, as a result, the school was informed that the tender documents for this project would have to be revised prior to proceeding to the invitation of tender. The revised...