Results 5,261-5,280 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to confirm that my Department has recently provided funds to the Galway City Vocational Education Committee to enable them to close the sale on the site for the school mentioned by the Deputy. This school is included in my Department's PPP school building programme. Three separate bundles have been announced to date and they are progressing through the procurement process. The...
- Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (9 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has recently written to the Institute referred to by the Deputy seeking a fully developed proposal regarding the proposed relocation of its campus. The matter will be examined in full when the requested detail has been provided to my Department.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the child referred to by the Deputy is enrolled in a class for pupils with a Mild General Learning Disability (MGLD) which is to be suppressed this September. I wish to assure 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...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 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 detailed...
- Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (9 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: A site currently in the ownership of the Health Service Executive (HSE) is under consideration by my Department. In view of the current budgetary constraints I am not in a position to provide the Deputy with a definite date for the acquisition of a site for this school. The further consideration of the proposed site acquisition and any subsequent building project for the school will be...
- Pension Provisions. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The person in question gave casual and intermittent service which was non-pensionable up until recently. However arising from recently introduced improvements in superannuation, the details of which are being finalized at present, it will be possible for the person to reckon the service for superannuation purposes subject to payment of certain contributions. As an interim measure, and...
- Departmental Charges. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested is not readily available in my Department and is currently being compiled. I will arrange to forward the information to the Deputy as soon as possible.
- Schools Building Projects. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for large scale capital funding from the school to which he refers. It has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria of my Department and assigned a Band rating of 2.2 The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, from initial design stage...
- Site Acquisitions. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: In view of the current budgetary constraints I am not in a position to provide the Deputy with a definite date for the acquisition of a site for this school. The further consideration of the proposed site acquisition and any subsequent building project for the school will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme.
- School Transport. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The School Transport Section, of my Department, has requested the Transport Liaison Officer (TLO) for County Leitrim to consult with Bus Ãireann regarding the background to the case referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied. My Department has also asked the TLO to communicate directly with the Deputy.
- Schools Building Projects. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: As I have indicated to the Deputy on previous occasions, my Department became aware of some difficulties with the project on this school when it was nearing completion. Since then, officials from my Department have been in ongoing contact with the parties with the express aim of having the project completed satisfactorily in accordance with the contract and at best value to the taxpayer. In...
- Post-Leaving Certificate Courses. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 719 and 723 together. The 2009 provision for the 1,500 additional PLC places is â¬4 million. The estimated full year cost in 2010 is â¬12 million. Currently, there are 30,188 PLC places available in some 195 approved schools and centres nationwide. PLC courses are provided predominantly in the VEC sector, but some community and comprehensive schools and...
- Post-Leaving Certificate Courses. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 720 to 722, inclusive, and 740 together. The table below summarises the almost 7,000 new places on education courses that were announced as part of the Supplementary Budget. This includes an additional 1,500 PLC places in the Further Education Sector and 5,410 places in the Higher Education Sector. The position in relation to the allocation of the 1,500 PLC...
- Institutes of Technology. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The new Redundant Apprentice IoT training scheme announced in the supplementary Budget is an initiative to provide an opportunity to redundant apprentices who cannot otherwise secure the job placements required in order to complete their normal apprenticeship programme, to acquire additional certified skills in the education sector. The curriculum for the programme is being developed by...
- Schools Building Projects. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: My Department awards contracts for the construction of school buildings in line with national and European public procurement regulations. The management of the Apprenticeship Training Scheme is the responsibility of FAS which operates under the aegis of my colleague the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment. It is my understanding that an employer must be approved and...
- Schools Building Projects. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: It is my intention that the impact of the â¬30m reduction on the School Building Programme for 2009 will be minimised to the greatest extent possible, through careful management of the budget and taking account of the very keen tender prices to be obtained in the current construction market. With regards to the large scale projects that I have announced to proceed to tender and construction...
- Higher Education Grants. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 727 and 728 together. As the Deputy is aware, the scale of the economic downturn has made it necessary to adjust funding provisions across all Departments. The adjustments in the recent budget at third level were part of this overall contribution to public expenditure reductions. Such adjustments must be viewed however in the context of overall investments...
- School Transport. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Fuel Duty Rebate Scheme (Provisions of Section 99 (1) Finance Act, 1999) allowed for a rebate in respect of the excise duty paid on fuel used by private contractors on delivering school transport services. This scheme which was processed by the Revenue Commissioners, ceased on 31st October 2008 in accordance with the EU Energy Tax Directive. The proposed compensatory allowance had not...
- Psychological Service. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The undertaking within the Towards 2016 Agreement of an increase of 100 additional posts related to both the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB). I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the budget allocation for NEPS will still allow for the recruitment of up to 50 additional psychologists for the NEPS service by the end of this...
- School Staffing. (22 Apr 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The duties which may be delegated to post of responsibility holders at primary level are outlined in Department Primary Circular 07/03 (Appendix A). At Post-primary level the relevant circulars are 4/98 Deputy Principal's, 05/98 Voluntary Secondary Schools, 20/98 VECs, 23/98 C&C schools, 46/00 Adult Education and PPT17/02 Programme Co-ordinator. All of the circulars are available on my...