Results 5,641-5,660 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (14 May 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 and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. I can inform the Deputy that the Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In light of the recent economic downturn the Government has had to make a number of difficult and challenging decisions in Budget 2009, which have seen a number of spending cuts across the Education sector. Regrettably, it is not possible for my Department to consider supporting any new projects at this time.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In order to be assessed as an independent mature candidate, the candidate must provide the relevant assessing authority with adequate proof of independent residence from 1st October preceding their entry to an approved course. In the case of the candidate referred to by the Deputy this is 1st October 2006. The new documentation referred to by the Deputy has been considered in this case. As...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The provision of a new building for the school to which the Deputy refers necessitates the acquisition of a site. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that County Dublin VEC has agreed to make a site available to my Department for this purpose. The Department is awaiting legal documents in relation to this from the VEC. Once the site is acquired, consideration can be given to the inclusion of a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 included in this announcement. It will involve the construction of a new school on a greenfield site. The project is currently at the earliest stage of architectural planning and is awaiting the appointment of a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a project for a new 16 classroom building for the school to which he refers, was included in the list of 25 major school building projects which I announced on the 12 of February last to enter into architectural planning. Officials in my Department are currently assessing the most appropriate construction model for this project. I anticipate that my...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 May 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 (SENO) for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. When pupils move to a different...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 181 together. The decision on eligibility for a higher education grant is a matter for the relevant local authority as appropriate. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 180 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that there is no difficulty with the allocation of additional resource teaching and/or special needs assistant posts at present. Schools, which have enrolled pupils with special educational needs that are eligible for such support, apply to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for the allocation...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am committed to providing information in relation to the allocation of teachers to schools and as a new feature on my Department's website. The process has begun with the provision earlier this year of initial information on the allocation of mainstream classroom teachers to primary schools under the revised schedule for 2009/10. In terms of the position at individual primary school level...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A revised syllabus in Junior Certificate Science was implemented on a phased basis starting in September 2003, supported by an investment of some €16m in resources and facilities for schools. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is currently engaging in a consultation process with schools relating to the revision of science subjects at senior cycle, but revised syllabuses in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware the Programme for Government contains a commitment to establish a Developing Areas Unit (DAU) to liaise with local authorities, identify where new schools are needed and ensure that they are delivered in the fastest possible timeframe. This Unit was established early in 2008 and delivered 27 major building projects last year in areas experiencing rapid population...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) which is administered by NEPS. In common with other psychological services NEPS encourages a staged assessment process...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The requirement for a Health and Safety Statement for the work place is governed by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. This Act, which is regulated by the Health and Safety Authority, sets out the main provisions for securing and improving the safety, health and welfare of people at work which includes the control of safety and health at work, the management and organisation of...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Responsibility for tackling bullying falls to the level of the individual school as it is at local level that an effective anti-bullying climate must be established. Individual school management authorities are not required to report to my Department on incidences of bullying. I am, however, anxious to support schools in tackling bullying. For that reason, a number of supports have been...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The forward planning section of my Department is in the process of identifying areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level for future school years. Factors under consideration include population growth, demographic trends, current and projected enrolments, recent and planned housing developments and capacity of existing schools to meet...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I assume the Deputy is referring to appeals to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board, details of which I am enclosing for the Deputy's information. It is open to any Board of Management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeal Board which was established to adjudicate on appeals on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. Details of the criteria and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In 2009, almost €614 million will be spent on school infrastructure. It represents a significant investment in the school building and modernisation programme. As the Deputy will appreciate, the climate within which the 2009 Budget has been framed is very different to that of recent years. The Government has been faced with very difficult choices across all areas of public spending....

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 178 together. It is the policy of my Department to provide a permanent accommodation solution in so far as possible to meet accommodation demands presenting in schools. However, the time span involved in architectural design and obtaining planning permission processes effectively means that, in all instances, it may not be possible to provide a...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 175 and 176 together. The Deputy is aware of the Government's commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with autism, can access an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post-primary school network. This facilitates access to individualised education...