Results 6,041-6,060 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (23 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested is outlined in the document below. Advertisements to promote policies/programmes being implemented by the Department of Education and Science during first six months of 2009 Name of Campaign or Programme Cost Scholarships to the European University in Florence €6,920.04 Approval of the Summer Works Scheme – notice to eligible building contractors about...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Jun 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 (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to primary and post primary schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support....

Written Answers — Stay Safe Programme: Stay Safe Programme (23 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Continuing Professional Development to support the implementation of the Stay Safe programme is provided by the Child Abuse Prevention Programme (CAPP). Results of a survey on the uptake of Stay Safe carried out by CAPP and my Department in 2006 showed that at that time: 2,514 schools were providing the programme, 472 were not providing the programme, and 263 schools were not teaching the...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (23 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: An Interdepartmental Committee chaired by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform which includes my Department is currently considering the requirements of the Convention including what action is necessary before ratification can proceed.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As outlined in the response to the Adjournment Debate to which the Deputy refers, the Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be needed at primary and post-primary levels for future school years. Factors under consideration include population growth, demographic trends, current and projected...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (23 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Instances in which a school may have very serious difficulties come to the attention of my Department from time to time. Of the over four thousand schools in the state, only a small number come to the attention of my Department in this way. While responsibility for general school improvement rests primarily with the staff and board of management of each school and with the school's trustees...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have consistently said that the 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be totally spared. The various impacts at...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, I announced in February last that the building project in the school he mentions is to proceed to tender and construction. The Stage 2B (Detailed Design) submission was received by my Department from the Vocational Education Committee on the 18th of June and is currently being examined. My officials will revert to the County Donegal Vocational Education Committee...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Jun 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 — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under section 2 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 a person is liable to pay the pensions-related deduction if he or she is a public servant on or after 1 March 2009 and is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme or receives a payment in lieu of membership of such a scheme. Therefore, even if a person is not a...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In relation to the rental of temporary accommodation, my Department grant-aids rental costs to schools on a bi-annual basis - January to June and July to December. Payment is made on receipt of original provider invoices submitted by the school authorities to my Department. I assume that the Deputy is referring to schools where prefabs have been sanctioned by my Department but where the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 provides that a child (defined as a person who is not more than 18 years) with special educational needs shall be educated in an inclusive environment unless such an arrangement is inconsistent with the best interests of the child as determined by an assessment carried out under the EPSEN...

Written Answers — Departmental Scheme: Departmental Scheme (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's officials are in the process of introducing the cycle to work scheme for staff of the Department. In relation to teachers, my Department is making arrangements to introduce the cycle to work scheme for teachers during the 2009/2010 school year. It is proposed to discuss the terms of the scheme with union and management representatives in the near future.

Written Answers — Educational Qualifications: Educational Qualifications (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that, following discussions with FETAC, Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) have agreed to accept data on FETAC certification in an electronic file, rather than requiring applicants to produce a printed certificate. FETAC's latest assessment period closed on 31 May and a file containing results data for those on building energy rating (BER) assessor courses was sent to SEI on 3...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has approved the relocation of the school to the premises referred to by the Deputy. The school authority has been informed of my Department's decision.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has been offered an all-in grant for the provision of four additional mainstream classrooms of 49 sq m each. The school has been given the option of purchasing temporary accommodation with this grant aid or to build a permanent structure.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is not aware of instances where VECs have acquired land in the manner referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. My 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 place in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers to is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The Department's prioritisation criteria were amended in 2004 and the Band rating for this project was amended from a Band 1 rating under the old criteria to a Band 2.2 rating under the amended criteria. The amended band rating is in accordance with the situation in the school where there is a...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that the developer in this matter has advised my Department that the site originally offered for the construction of a new school for the school referred to by the Deputy is held as security with a lending institution. My Department understands that the developer will not be in a position to transfer the site until he has worked through 75% of the overall...