Results 6,101-6,120 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 500 and 512 together. In light of the Budget 2009 decision my Department has now published a circular for schools which sets out how the new arrangements will operate for the allocation of language support teachers from September 2009. The circular sets out a structured and transparent approach for the operation of the alleviation measures that were announced...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The provision of 2,500 new places on part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses for people who are unemployed is part of the Government's efforts to retrain and upskill the labour force. 1,500 of the new places will be on a range of undergraduate certificate and degree-level programmes at levels 6 to 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The remaining 1,000 places will be...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Third level institutions are autonomous statutory bodies. The governance and day-to-day management and operational affairs, including issues surrounding the releasing of students results as referred to by the Deputy, are matters for which the Governing bodies and management of the relevant institutions are responsible for. Accordingly I have no role in this matter.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding for a new school project. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 1.1. Following a site examination it was established that additional land is...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers 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 (30 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. Officials of my Department and the school authorities have had a pre-planning meeting with Cork County Council Planning Department. My Department expects to be ready to lodge planning permission in...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The majority of my Department's expenditure relates to the salary and superannuation costs of teachers, non teaching staff and the grant aiding of Schools, Colleges, Institutions and Bodies under the aegis of the Department. These payments are not subject to the terms of the European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations, 2002 or the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act...

Written Answers — Science Facilities: Science Facilities (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 507 to 509, inclusive, together. As part of the multi-annual school building programme, the Government has invested heavily in the modernisation of school facilities throughout the country including science facilities in post-primary schools. Provision of science facilities is an intrinsic part of all major projects at post-primary level. Typically this...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for emergency works from the school in question was only received in my Department last Friday. The application is currently being assessed and a decision will issue to the school within a matter of days.

Written Answers — Third Level Charges: Third Level Charges (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, I am currently finalising a review of policy options relating to the introduction of a form of student contribution. There are many complex and competing considerations including costs, affordability and value for money for the taxpayer which will be taken into account by the Government in considering the available options. I will be providing the technical report...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 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 additional resources to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The SENO has no role in assigning individual...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: All 2,500 of the new part-time places that will come on stream in September 2009 will be on courses that support the goals of the Government's "smart economy" plan and particularly those relating to specific skills needs of exporting sectors identified by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs. Calls for proposals for the new places have been issued to third-level institutions by the Higher...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is not required to develop a sectoral plan under the Disability Act 2005. For the Deputy's information the six Departments required to develop sectoral plans are the Departments of Health and Children; Social and Family Affairs; Transport; Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; Environment, Heritage and Local Government; and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In January 2009, officials from my Department met with the City Council and representatives of the GAA club to discuss the issue of entering into a lease arrangement with the City Council which in time will require the GAA club to surrender its interest on some of the lands required for a building project. In February 2009, Department officials met separately with representatives of Naomh...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 518 and 520 together. 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,...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As I indicated previously I have introduced a new €20 million scheme to improve roof and cavity wall insulation levels in school buildings across the country. The devolved energy efficiency scheme, which is being implemented with the help of Sustainable Energy Ireland, allows schools to apply for funding on a once-off basis to upgrade the fabric insulation in attics and the external cavity...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Independent mature candidates must provide documentary evidence as proof of their ordinary/permanent address from the 1st October of the year preceding entry to college. Examples of the type of documentary evidence normally required to establish residence are as follows: (i) Utility bills, such as a telephone, gas or ESB bill (ii) Evidence of registration with the Private Residential...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: From the detail provided by the Deputy in this instance my Department's National Educational Psychological Service cannot identify, within its records, any such pupil currently awaiting an educational psychologist's report. Perhaps the Deputy might provide additional information in relation to the child in question, most particularly the school which he currently attends, so that more...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school in question has two classes for pupils with mild general learning disability (MGLD). In February, my Department advised the school of its intention to suppress one of the classes as the enrolment fell below that required to retain the class. This position was re-stated to the school by letter on 11th June last. All children with MGLD who are in the class being suppressed will be...