Results 6,261-6,280 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 including the procedures involved in applying with union and management representatives in the near future.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Jul 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 — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can now update the Deputy in relation to the publication of teacher allocations to second level schools. My Department is currently finalising the data for publication and I expect that this data will be placed on my Department's website in the coming period. I am conscious that the Deputy has raised this matter previously and I will arrange to have the Deputy notified when the data is...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, this project was included in my announcement in February 2009, of projects which would proceed to tender and construction during 2009. The project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. My Department is currently awaiting the Stage 2b submission. The Local Authority has recently made the Final Grant of planning permission for this project. As there...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 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 — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (7 Jul 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 — Research Funding: Research Funding (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation (SSTI) is an integrated whole of Government approach that Ireland will be internationally renowned for the excellence of its research and at the forefront in generating and using new knowledge for economic and social progress, within an innovation driven culture. The Higher Education Research Group (HERG) was established under the SSTI to...

Written Answers — Home Tuition Scheme: Home Tuition Scheme (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Home tuition was not sanctioned for the child in question as the application did not meet the criteria under the terms of the home tuition scheme. Additional information submitted in support of the application is under consideration by officials in my Department. A decision will be conveyed to the parent as soon as this process is completed.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Based on information supplied to my Department by the local Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO), I understand that the school referred to by the Deputy will have one additional resource teacher for the 2009/2010 school year.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 in the budget for schools that have a significant...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the proposed project for the school to which he refers involves the acquisition of a site. The progression of the project from site acquisition and initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of the Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. In light of current competing demands on the capital budget...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Board: Residential Institutions Redress Board (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy maybe aware, Section 8 (2) of the Act provides that the Board may, at its discretion and where it considers there are exceptional circumstances, extend the period referred to in subsection (1). However the issue of a further extension of time for applications to the Redress Board is amongst a range of issues raised by groups representing survivors of abuse. The issues raised...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an early stage. A technical inspection will be arranged in due course and consistent with the priority attaching to the project. Thereafter, the further progression of the project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will, as with all large scale capital projects, be considered in the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 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 — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. In accordance with these rules each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the school building programme is being assembled in my Department and I will arrange to have it forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 586 and 587 together. The information sought by the Deputy is contained in the attached tabular statement. I would like to point out to the Deputy that the Inspectorate operates under a unified management structure rather than individual management structures for both Primary and Post-Primary Inspectors. Grade 31/12/05 31/12/06 31/12/07 31/12/08 30/06/09...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 588 to 605, inclusive, together. The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the Tabular Statement. The figures for post-primary teachers do not include VEC teachers where the retirements and pension benefit awards are made by the relevant VEC. The bulk of teachers retirements occur at the end of August each year. The figures for 2009 contained in...

Written Answers — Special Educations Needs: Special Educations Needs (7 Jul 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 — Department Property: Department Property (7 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The cost of renting office property for my Department is the responsibility of Property Management Services, Office of Public Works, who act on behalf of Government Departments in relation to the rental/lease of office accommodation. The terms of the leases are a matter for OPW. In relation to schools, my Department generally grant aids school authorities who use the funds to rent temporary...