Results 6,921-6,940 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department recently received an accommodation proposal from the school to which the Deputy refers and this is under consideration. My officials will revert to the school authority in due course in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In September when I spoke at the annual conference of the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) I indicated publicly my general intentions in relation to the future organisation of the VEC system. I invited the IVEA and other interested parties to make written submissions if they wished that I would consider in finalising proposals. Furthermore the Programme for Government includes a...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's PPP school building programme. A site has been purchased for the provision of a new school building. My Department is now in the process of identifying what school projects are eligible for consideration for inclusion in the 4th bundle of PPP schools which I intend announcing as quickly as possible and the school in question...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Although referred to as student grants, I understand that the funding for participants made available by Fáilte Ireland for the programmes in question are in the nature of attendance-based monthly allowances which are not means-tested. Responsibility for funding decisions in relation to such programmes is a matter for Fáilte Ireland and I have no role in the matter. My Department's...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I would like to clarify for the Deputy the process of payment to schools of rental grant aid for temporary accommodation. My Department contributes 95% towards the cost of rental of temporary accommodation for schools with permanent recognition, where the need for additional accommodation has been established. The school authority will pay a local contribution of the balance of 5% subject to...

Written Answers — Coistí Ranna: Coistí Ranna (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Níl sé i gceist agam coiste dá leithéid a bhunú. Seans go gcabhródh sé leis an Teachta dá ndéanfainn cur síos ar na beartais atá á gcur i bhfeidhm ag an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta chun an Ghaeilge a chothú agus a chur chun cinn sa chóras oideachais. D'fhoilsigh an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta staidéar mheastóireachta na cigireachta dar teideal An Ghaeilge sa...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Forward Planning Section of my Department has carried out a study of the country to identify the areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary levels over the coming years. This study has been conducted using data from the Central Statistics Office, the General Register Office and the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains information relating to class size in primary schools for the school years 2006/07 to 2008/09. The primary census for the 2009/10 school year is currently underway and the final outcome will be made available when this process is completed..

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The records from the payroll databases indicate that there are 200 primary teachers and 27 within the post primary sector on regular contracts of employment who are paid at the unqualified rate. It should be noted that most of these teachers are awaiting registration.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968-1992 provide for the making of grants by local authorities to enable persons to attend approved courses of higher education. The process, whereby local authorities assess eligibility and make grant payments under the Higher Education Grants Scheme is provided for under these Acts. While the Higher Education Grants Scheme is...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department I can confirm to the Deputy that appropriate measures are in place to ensure compliance with prescribed procedures which demonstrate efficient, effective and economic use of public funds in relation to business travel and subsistence expenditure. In addition, my Department's officials brought both the revised Code of Practice for the...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department's home tuition scheme provides a grant to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. I have made arrangements for a home tuition application form to be sent to the address in question for completion. My officials will consider the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Oct 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 (SENO) for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. All schools have the...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of the correspondence to which the Deputy refers. My Department will formally respond to the matters raised as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department has received an application for Major Capital funding for an extension including ancillary accommodation from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating. A request to meet with a deputation from the school has...

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 funding for a new school building. The application is currently being assessed and my Department will revert to the school authority on the matter shortly. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A major capital project for the school 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...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Residential Institutions Redress Board operates under the terms of the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002. In accordance with the legislation, the closing date for receipt of applications to the Board expired on 15th December 2005. However, Section 8 of the Act allows for the Board to consider applications received after that date in exceptional circumstances. As the Board is...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Report of the Special Committee on the Arts and Education: Points of Alignment was published in 2008 by the Arts Council. Its terms of reference required the committee to take specific account of the fact "that the budgetary resources likely to be available over the next 4 years to the Minister for Education and Science for development of services in the education sector must be allocated...

Written Answers — Digital Media Industry: Digital Media Industry (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The digital media industry, which includes the computer games sector, is an industry with potential for significant growth. There is a diverse range of courses relevant to the computer game industry available in the further and higher education sectors in Ireland. A number of dedicated courses are available in computer games development and many broader ICT and engineering courses also...