Results 5,841-5,860 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that I have been anxious to develop this Centre to provide for the promotion of excellence in the development and harmonisation of education and associated services for children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders. A lot has been achieved already in collaboration with the Department of Education, Northern Ireland, with the Centre currently delivering...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: In terms of the position at individual primary school level the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by my Department is the pupil enrolment at 30 September of the previous school year. The annual process of seeking this enrolment data from schools takes place in the autumn of each year and enables the commencement of the processes by which teaching resources are...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 643 and 644 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education has been requested by my Department to arrange for its Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) to review special needs assistant (SNA) allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department received a written request on 28 May 2009 from the person in question for an estimate of pension benefits should she decide to retire at this time. A detailed written response issued to the person on 4 June 2009.

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: People who were in foster care as children were covered by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act, 2000 and had access to both the Investigative and Confidential Committees of the Commission. During the passage of the legislation governing the establishment of the Redress Scheme (Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002) through both Houses, the issue of including children who were...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports including the approval of special classes for autism. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support....

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department did consider the inclusion of this institution on the Schedule to the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002. This particular institution, as with many others listed, did not operate under the jurisdiction of my Department and, consequently, it was necessary for officials at my Department to consult with other Government Departments to...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received correspondence from the persons to whom the Deputy refers. The building project for the above school is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. I met with a deputation from the school last October when the school's situation was fully outlined. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have asked officials at my Department to compile the information requested and furnish it to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (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 — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that Section 8 (1) of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides that all applications should be made to the Board within 3 years of the establishment date. Consequently, the closing date for receipt of applications expired on 15th December 2005. Significant public notice and advertisement was given of this date. However, there is provision under...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The Primary Staffing Appeal Board met on 14th May 2009 to consider staffing appeals for the 2009/2010 school year. The Board will hold its second meeting on Thursday next 11 June, 2009. Following this meeting I will arrange for the officials in my Department to forward the details requested by the Deputy in respect of the outcome of the appeals heard at both meetings.

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 — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 657 and 658 together. The details sought by the Deputy relating to schools from the area in question whose applications were approved for funding and those that were unsuccessful under the current Summer Works Scheme are contained in the following tabular statements. Unsuccessful applications generally fall into two categories: - Invalid applications -...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Information in relation to average class size and pupil teacher ratio is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The details for the current school year (2008/2009) are currently being compiled by my Department and the final outcome will be available later in the summer. The average class size in North Tipperary in 2007/2008 was 23.2. Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all primary...

Written Answers — Strategic Innovation Fund: Strategic Innovation Fund (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) was established in 2006 with a major emphasis on promoting inter-institutional collaboration in bringing about substantial change and quality improvement within the Irish higher education system. Projects approved under the Fund are aimed at institutional reform, enhancing teaching and learning, improving access and life long learning and enabling the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. I recently met with a deputation from the school to discuss its accommodation needs and I am aware that the Patron has donated a site for the provision of a new school building. The deputation was advised that the Forward Planning Section of my Department is...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The new post primary school project in County Westmeath referred to by the Deputy is included in the list of seven schools which I approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership in December 2008. This Bundle is in the pre procurement stage. Detailed output specifications and Public Sector Benchmark are being prepared and outline local...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, Library staff, like other public servants in the Education Sector, other than teachers and SNAs, are subject to the public sector recruitment moratorium at the current time. My Department also funds the various other literacy and numeracy supports for second level schools through the JCSP Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. These strategies encourage schools to adopt a...