Results 6,741-6,760 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 478 and 479 together. I am taking it that by non-core pay the Deputy is referring to payments that are discretionary in nature and not determined pay arrangements for the grade or appointment in question. Non-core pay in respect of staff in my Department amounted to €1,438,343 in 2008, of which €1,181,914 was represented by overtime payments. Non-core pay...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions 480 and 481 together. As the Deputy will be aware all primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that the National Educational Psychological Service was established within my Department in 1999 and the table sets out the annual budgetary allocation and actual expenditure for and the number of psychologists employed by (as of October of each year) the service since its establishment. I can inform the Deputy that my Department and the Public Appointments Service...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The new post primary school project for Gorey, County Wexford is one of the eight schools which I approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership. This bundle is in the pre procurement stage. Detailed output specifications and Public Sector Benchmark (PSB) are being prepared and outline planning applications have been submitted to the...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 484 and 485 together. Under the terms of my Department's student grant and free fees schemes, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants and free tuition fees where they satisfy the prescribed conditions of the individual schemes including those relating to progression. In general students who previously pursued a...

Written Answers — School Staffing : School Staffing (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The selection of teachers for appointment to state funded teaching positions is a matter for the employing school authority, which must take account of all appropriate legislation and Department circulars. My Department has no role in the selection process.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the provision of a range of educational services at local and national level for students with special educational needs (SEN). In particular, its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) co-ordinate special needs education provision at local level and arrange for the delivery of special educational services....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction is dependent on the prioritisation of competing demands on the funding available under the Department's capital budget. The proposed building project will be considered...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has been liaising closely with the local authority referred to by the Deputy and on 12th October 2009 received the submission requesting funds. The submission is been prioritised to ensure that the relevant payment will issued without delay.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) was introduced in 2004 to provide capital grants for smaller-scale improvements works for both primary and post primary schools. Since then, thousands of projects have been completed in schools - such as gas, electrical and mechanical works, roof replacements and repairs, windows replacement, toilet upgrades, structural improvements and access works. It is my...

Written Answers — Insurance Cover: Insurance Cover (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: At primary level, The Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure requires each board of a primary school to put in place comprehensive insurance cover to safeguard the school, the Board and the Trustees. At second level, in the case of schools other than Community or Comprehensive Schools, it is the responsibility of the individual school authority to put in place insurance cover. Claims...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Ireland has not ratified the UNESCO 1989 Convention on Technical and Vocational Education, and has no plans to do so. There are only 17 parties to the Convention to date, out of 193 UNESCO Member States, mostly in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. Only two EU Member States, Bulgaria and Lithuania, have ratified the Convention and this occurred in the early 1990s, prior to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are 3 schools concerned in the Deputy's question, 2 primary schools and 1 post primary school. The first primary school was one of ten projects announced in January 2009 to be re-tendered. In order to prepare for tender and to comply with the new form of Government contract, the school was required to submit a new Stage 2b (detailed design). Following the receipt and clearance of the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of carrying out detailed analysis of over 40 locations of highest population growth in order to identify the school accommodation requirements up to and including the school year 2014/2015. When the required reports have been completed for these initial areas selected the Forward Planning Section will continue to work on...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Teaching Council Act 2001 provided for the Teaching Council to be funded by my Department for 2 years after the establishment day, which was 28 March 2006. The funding provided by my Department is set out below. 2006 - €2.991 million 2007 - €3.082 million 2008 - €0.849 million The Teaching Council became a self funding body from 28 March 2008. The Council raises its funding from,...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will be in a position to provide the Deputy with comparative average rental costs for prefabs at the end of the current financial year. Calculations on average costs at this stage of the year will not accurately reflect comparative costs between 2008 and 2009 until then. As the Deputy is aware, my Department has engaged a specialist firm to develop new procedures and systems for the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will arrange to have a list of the initial areas identified for detailed analysis forwarded to the Deputy for his information.

Written Answers — Oibreacha Feabhsúcháin Scoile: Oibreacha Feabhsúcháin Scoile (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tá oifigeach as mo Roinnse tar éis dul i dteagmháil le húdaráis na scoile, agus tuigim gur gairid go gcuirfear faoi bhráid mo Roinne iarratas ar mhaoiniú éigeandála le haghaidh oibreacha ar an gclós imeartha. A luaithe is a fhaighfear an t-iarratas seo measúnófar gan mhoill é agus cuirfear an toradh air sin in iúl d'údaráis na scoile.

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that although the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes was of the view that third level fees should be re-introduced, it did not make any specific recommendation in regards to mature students. Under the terms of the Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer meets the tuition fees of eligible students, including mature students, who are...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (13 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There is a wide range of further education programmes that are open to mature students which provide retraining and upskilling options. These are both full-time and part-time and are delivered through the Vocational Education Committees (VECs). They include the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), a second-chance education initiative for persons who are at least 21 years of age...