Results 6,901-6,920 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced 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...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 585 and 627 together. I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate educational intervention and supports for children with special educational needs continues to be a key Government priority. This is reflected in the fact that my Department was the only Department other than social welfare that got an increase this year. I assume that the...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced 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...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 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 an extension and refurbishment project including the provision of a special needs unit. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 1 rating. Information in...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The above school in County Meath referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 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. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 1.2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers was one of the projects announced in January 2009 to go to tender and construction. The Stage 2b for the proposed new school is expected from the design team shortly. Following the receipt and clearance of the Stage 2b submission the project will be progressed to the next stage i.e. invitation to tender.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The tender report for the proposed extension/refurbishment project at the school in question was received in my Department earlier this month. It is currently being assessed by the professional and technical staff of the building unit. Once the tender report has been assessed and provided there are no issues arising therefrom, the school will be authorised to proceed to the construction stage.
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The budget measures will impact on individual schools in different ways depending on whether enrolment is rising or declining and the degree to which any one school has more teachers than it is entitled to under the allocation processes. In terms of the position at individual school level the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by my Department is the pupil enrolment...
- Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Planned expenditure levels for my Department will be considered as part of the Estimates and budgetary process for 2010. This will include consideration of the report of the special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes, and the decisions on all of the issues arising will be a matter for the Government. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that my Department has published provisional information on the Department's website about teacher allocations at primary and post-primary level for 2009/10 school year. This was done as a first step at improving the level of information in the public domain about changes to the staffing allocations at both primary and post-primary level. The purpose of the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Due to amendments to the Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement (ISER) which have issued from the Department of Finance, valid applications will be considered up to and including 23 October, 2009, so it is not possible to confirm final numbers of applicants at this time. However, taking as a baseline the latest staffing figures available at end-September, 2009, the numbers of officers at...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 and 599 together. I will arrange to forward the information requested by the Deputy shortly. It is currently anticipated that there will be a saving of at least â¬14 million in expenditure on rental temporary accommodation in 2009, compared to 2008. This clearly demonstrates the efforts being made by my Department to reduce spending in this area. My...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for large scale capital funding for the provision of ancillary accommodation from the school to which he refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 3. Information in respect of the current...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for large scale capital funding from the school to which he refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I will arrange to have the information requested by the Deputy sent to him.
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I have asked the Planning and Building Unit of my Department to ensure that the Report in question is sent to the Deputy at the earliest opportunity and I understand that the arrangements have been made to do this.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. This project has been announced to proceed to tender and construction. My Department is currently reviewing a revised Stage 2b submission (Detailed Design) recently received from the Board of Management and their design team and I understand that the outcome of that review will be...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for a higher education grant is a matter for the relevant VEC as appropriate. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the relevant VEC. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down,...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's total budget in 2009 for primary, post-primary and third level capital is â¬841m. Of this, just under â¬614m is in respect of primary and post-primary schools and just under â¬200m is in respect of the third level sector. In respect of third level sector capital, at the end of September a total of almost â¬115m had been expended from a total allocation of just under...