Results 4,961-4,980 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's total capital expenditure in the primary sector for County Mayo for the years referred to by the Deputy was as follows: 2006 — €6,580,851.27 2007 — €8,700,826.49 2008 — €10,287,846.48.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information provided by me on 4th March 2009 is the most accurate up-to-date information available to my Department and is based on returns, as provided by the schools, from a survey of 900 schools in 2007 and subsequently updated in my Department. It should be noted that a single unit documented on the spreadsheet provided earlier does not purport to be one single classroom. It does...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has been aware of a need for further post primary provision in the Dublin 15 area and in that context, I sanctioned the establishment of a new post primary school for the area last year. The new school will be called Luttrellstown Community College and the Patron is County Dublin VEC. My Department is working closely with Co. Dublin VEC to open the new school in September 2009...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As outlined previously, existing education policy is that students up to 18 years of age are admitted to primary and second level schools irrespective of their nationality or status. Indeed, under the Equal Status Act, schools may not discriminate in admission to schools except where this is necessary to maintain the religious values or ethos of the school. While the Act does provide for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 6153The project to which the Deputy refers was originally tendered in 2007. This project was one of 43 projects I announced on 12 February to go to tender and construction in 2009. For this project to go to construction it now needs to be re-tendered under the new Department of Finance form of contract for public capital projects. The fees applicable to the tender action stage of any school...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 6153I propose to take Questions Nos. 1053 and 1083 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 (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 6153The Deputy will be aware that the home tuition scheme provides a grant to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting an educational placement and to provide early intervention for pre-school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following tabular statement. Applications on hand for major capital works March 2009 County Roll Number School Application for Carlow 01116A Baile An Chuilinn N S Muinebeag (Carlow) New School Carlow 01415K Rathoe NS Rathoe (Carlow) New School Carlow 02124E Scoil Nais Molaise Old Leighlin (Carlow) Extension/Refurb Carlow...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take questions Nos. 1057 and 1085 together. I can confirm that my Department recently received correspondence relating to the matter referred to by the Deputies. A response will issue as soon as the matter has been considered fully.

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for capital funding towards the provision of a new school building was received in April of last year from the school referred to by the Deputy. This was the first such application from the school. The school, which has a current enrolment of 49 pupils, is situated in a rural area. On foot of this application and information supplied by the school regarding its condition,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There were 40 major school projects for which design teams were appointed in 2006 to commence architectural planning. A further 14 design teams were appointed on major projects in 2007 and another 2 design teams were appointed in 2008. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department, in accordance with the commitment in the Programme for Government established a Developing Areas Unit to identify...

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The following table lists the record number of major projects which were progressed to practical completion in 2008. The list includes 48 new primary schools and 3 new post-primary schools, together with 29 major primary school extension/refurbishment projects and 15 major post-primary extension/refurbishment projects. It also shows the enrolment in each school for the 2008/2009 school year....

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The proposed building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently awaiting the appointment of a Design Team. The Deputy will be aware that on 12 February, 2009, I announced details of 25 high priority projects to commence architectural planning. The project for the school in question was not included in this announcement. Therefore, it will not be proceeding this year....

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: An official from the Building Unit of my Department was in contact with the school authorities recently regarding this matter. The school will submit an application for emergency funding for the refurbishment works in question in the near future. When this application is received it will be assessed without delay and the school authorities will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As part of the multi-annual school building programme, the Government has invested heavily in the modernisation of school facilities throughout the country including science facilities in post-primary schools. Provision of science facilities is an intrinsic part of all major projects at post-primary level. Typically this investment involves the provision of modern science facilities in new...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A grant is paid to schools in respect of the employment of part-time teachers in the Primary sector and the Boards of Management of the schools pay the individual teachers. The rate of payment includes holiday pay. From September 2009 all part-time primary resource teachers will be paid through my Department's payroll. Any arrears that are due to part-time resource teachers will be paid by...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability. These special classes which are to close pre-date the 2005 General Allocation Model of allocating...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the general allocation model was introduced in primary schools in September 2005 to ensure that each school has learning support/resource teaching support available to meet the needs of children with high incidence special educational needs including children with mild general learning disabilities. The allocation system under the general allocation model was...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability. These special classes which are to close pre-date the 2005 General Allocation Model of allocating...

Written Answers — Departmental Allowances: Departmental Allowances (24 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are no individuals within an agency or body under the aegis of my Department who are in receipt of fixed car allowances.