Results 5,201-5,220 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The cost of substitution for teachers undertaking work associated with the state examinations during term time claimed for the 2007/2008 school year was 1.23 million euros. This information relates to the costs incurred for secondary and community/ comprehensive schools only and the data is obtained from claims submitted to my Department by the managerial authorities of those schools. The...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is operating with provisional recognition from my Department. It is entitled to grant aid for rental for its accommodation, for school transport and for the payment of teacher salaries. Teacher allocations to all second-level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. In...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The scheme of performance related awards in the Civil Service applies to the grades of Deputy and Assistant Secretaries and equivalent grades. Decisions on awards for officials that come within the remit of the scheme are made by the Committee for Performance Awards. Its membership comprises of the Secretary General to the Government, The Secretary General, Public Service Management &...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that 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 predate the 2005 General...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have asked my Department to contact the Deputy directly to discuss the information sought. Since the introduction of the General Allocation Model in primary schools there has been significant experience of beneficial mainstreaming of children with mild general learning disability in primary schools. My Department has asked the National Council for Special Education to advise on the role of...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Any retrospective arrears payable to part-time teachers are subject to the income levy in accordance with the personal taxation regulations applicable at the time of payment. The pension related deduction is applied to all income earned by part-time teachers after the 1st March 2009 who are members of a public service pension scheme. Therefore, any retrospective arrears payable prior to...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years, with the appointment of 6,000 extra teachers in the primary sector alone since 2002. The overall policy goal is to ensure the highest standard of permanent accommodation for all schools. However, in the context of a rapidly increasing school population, the...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 382 and 393 together. I have received correspondence on this issue in recent days, and I am prepared to meet a deputation of relevant interests to discuss the matter. However diary commitments do not allow for a meeting in the coming weeks, and officials of my Department will be in touch with the correspondents to arrange a meeting as soon as possible,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The post primary school project referred to by the Deputy is included in the list of seven schools which I have approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership. This Bundle is in the pre procurement stage and my Department has completed a round of stakeholders' meetings in each of the locations where PPP schools are to be provided. A...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applications submitted for the Summer Works Scheme 2008, including one from the school in question, are currently being assessed for summer 2009 and the school authority will be notified of the outcome of this assessment in due course.

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination and the remuneration of examiners and superintendents. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination, and the remuneration of examiners and superintendents. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I was appointed Minister for Education and Science on 7 May 2008 and will answer the Deputy's question from that date. The cost of my mobile telephony services from 7 May 2008 to 28 February 2009 (the latest date for which figures are available) and the amount expended on PDA Services for the same period are set out in tabular form. I have an arrangement in place to pay for my personal calls...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applications for Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with a disability. Applications are considered by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) where a pupil has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger...

Written Answers — Schools Funding: Schools Funding (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy is a recognised primary school and attracts funding in the same way as all recognised primary schools. The Deputy will be aware that schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. These grants have been increased substantially in recent years. The Education Budget for 2009 has provided for improvements to the overall level...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are a number of different arrangements under which teachers may retire early on pension. Teachers who are not new entrants as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 may retire voluntarily from age 55 years onwards. Where the teacher is aged 55 but under 60 he or she must satisfy the following conditions: have completed at least 35 years...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that no staff in my Department with less than two years service on 1 March, 2009, gave notice to terminate their employment before 1 April, 2009, under Section 5 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is one of 10 projects announced in January to be re-tendered with a view to going on site as soon as possible. For this project to go to construction it needs to be re-tendered under the new Department of Finance form of contract for public capital projects. The project will be pre-qualified in the coming weeks on www.e-tenders.gov.ie for expressions...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Representatives from the board of management and the design team of the school to which the Deputy refers attended a briefing in my Department's offices in Tullamore on 26 March at which they were appraised of the next steps necessary to progress the project for the construction of a new 16 classroom school to tender and construction.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A revised second-level mathematics curriculum is being introduced on a phased basis. This developmental initiative, Project Maths, is being directed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, in collaboration with the Department of Education and Science and the State Examinations Commission. Five revised syllabus 'strands' will be introduced over a three-year period, and this...