Results 5,821-5,840 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department procured the premises to which the Deputy refers initially to act as a temporary home for a special school pending the delivery of a building project for that school and then to accommodate, on a permanent basis, the school to which the Deputy refers. The building project for the special school is currently in the early stages of architectural planning. Earlier this year I...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to other diary commitments, I will not be in a position to meet with this delegation for several weeks but I have asked officials in my Department to contact the school directly to arrange a meeting at official level in relation to the project.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has sanctioned the purchase of a Laptop, Scanner and Printer for the use of the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The school was advised of this by letter issued by my Department on the 28th May 2009 last. Payment will be made to the school on submission of the relevant Receipts accompanied by a completed Equipment Purchase Form.

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has not received any application from a Patron to open a school in the area referred to by the Deputy. The Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level for future years. Factors under consideration include population growth, demographic trends,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. 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. In light of...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and the Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 617 to 622, inclusive, together. A total of 12 companies tendered for the bundle of schools (which included the two primary schools for Gorey) under the rapid delivery programme in 2008. Information on the tender prices of the unsuccessful tenders is commercially sensitive and it would be inappropriate of me to release such information as it could undermine...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school in question has been approved for funding under the Emergency Works Grant scheme to carry out major roof works to the school building. The approval letter issued to the school management on 5th May 2009.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Forward Planning Section of the Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level over coming 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputies refer was included in my announcement on 12 February of 43 major building projects to proceed to tender and construction during 2009. Representatives from the board of management and the design team of the school attended a briefing in my Department's offices in Tullamore on 26 March at which they were apprised of the next steps necessary to progress the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Officials in my Department have been in touch with the Patron and the school authorities recently. I can confirm that detailed designs for the school to which the Deputy refers are finalised and a pre-planning meeting will take place this week with my officials, the school authorities and the Planners in Cork County Council. The Department expects to be ready to lodge planning permission in...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is currently considering a number of broad policy issues relating to the recognition process for second level schools. To facilitate full consideration of all of the issues involved, my Department has sought legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General in relation to the system of patronage at second level. Officials from my Department have recently met with their...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 628 and 639 together. The 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...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that the enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of the school concerned. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment in schools. Where a school refuses to enrol a pupil, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 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. In accordance with the published prioritisation criteria of my Department, the project has a Band 1 rating. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 631 and 655 together. The building project for the school referred to by the Deputies is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. 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...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers received an offer of second hand temporary accommodation. However, on investigation of the offer further by the school, it was discovered that substantial ancillary charges including, refurbishment costs, consultants' fees, re-location of the accommodation, planning permission etc., would have to be paid by the school authorities. As there were no...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is one of ten projects announced in January to be re-tendered with a view to going on site as soon as possible. My Department has reviewed the Stage 2b (detailed design) submission from the Design Team, and identified a number of issues to be addressed. A meeting was subsequently held with the school authorities and their Design Team to discuss their...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 635 to 638, inclusive, together. My Department estimates that approximately â'¬48m will be spent this year on the rental of school accommodation. The funding is to cover costs relating to continuing existing rentals and any new approvals for the next school year. It is too early at this stage to provide details of new school approvals for the coming year....

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is at an early stage of Architectural Planning and the school in question has recently been authorised to progress this project to Stage 2A - Developed Sketch Scheme. As an interim measure, to alleviate pressure on the school to which the deputy refers, my Department has approved the use of existing temporary accommodation by the school on the site of...