Results 7,121-7,140 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (19 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Vocational Education (Amendment) Act 2001 does not define either a voluntary organisation or a community organisation. It is a matter for each council to decide which persons are representative of such bodies, as set out in paragraph 26.1 of my Department's Circular Letter 58/2009 - Arrangements for the Appointment and Election of VEC Members. A copy of the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The previously published public sector number for full-time teachers in primary schools was 29,720 in September, 2007 and 31,134 in September, 2008. The corresponding number for September, 2009 is 31,642 and is inclusive of part-time teachers in primary schools that have been put on the Department payroll with effect from 1 September, 2009.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (19 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There were 486,444 pupils in national schools (including special schools) at the end of September 2007 and 498,914 at the end of September 2008. Enrolment numbers for the current school year are being compiled by my Department at present.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the decision on eligibility for a higher education grant is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC to determine it will be necessary for the candidate referred to by the Deputy to contact her assessing authority directly to have her eligibility assessed. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, I am making available €22 million in ICT grants for primary schools this year. I already had €9 million in my capital allocation for ICT. I am adding €13 million from the school building programme allocation this year to give a total allocation of €22 million. This €13 million represents about 2% of the overall allocation for school buildings this year....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Nov 2009)

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

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (19 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that no decision has yet been made on the future use of the property in question. Any decision in the first instance will have to be taken in the context of considering its future educational use. Submissions should be made by any interested parties to the Site Acquisition and Property Management Section of my Department.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for a new school project. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 1 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works,...

Written Answers — Higher Education Funding: Higher Education Funding (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The increase of 8% in overall CAO acceptances this year, following on from last year's increase of 6%, is a clear signal of the strong demand for higher education in Ireland. My Department has invested significantly in higher education in recent years with funding of some €2 billion being allocated this year to the sector which includes recurrent and capital funding. Nonetheless, in...

Written Answers — Educational Programmes: Educational Programmes (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applicants for places on the programme referred to by the Deputy must meet the eligibility criteria established for this initiative, that is they must have a claim for Jobseeker's Allowance/Benefit of at least 6 months duration or have been made statutorily redundant. Individual applicants should address any queries in relation to their eligibility to the participating institutions.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 561 and 524 together. The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for capital funding for a large scale extension project. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 1 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Higher Education Authority is currently conducting research on the numbers progressing in the third level system. The research will report on the progression of third level students from March 2008 to March 2009. This report will be available early in the New Year. Data on the 2009/2010 entrants will not be available until summer 2010. In relation to the issue of the student...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for a sports hall and for some ancillary accommodation. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme....

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. My Department wrote to the school last week approving stage 2(b) - Detailed Design. The school has been advised that its design team should now ensure that a full and complete, co-ordinated package of tender documents are available for issue to tenderers. When these are ready, the Board...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The closing date for the receipt of applications under the Summer Works Scheme 2010 is 27 November next. Following an assessment process, projects will be selected for funding from all valid and approved applications on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria published with the Scheme. In keeping with the timetable published with the governing Circular letter, I...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Nov 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 — Caiteachas Ranna: Caiteachas Ranna (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tá sé riachtanach laghduithe suntasacha a dhéanamh i gcaiteachas buiséadach insna blianta le teacht. Machnófar leibhéil caiteachais mo Roinnese mar chuid den phróiseas Meastachán agus buiséadach do 2010. Áireofar anseo machnamh ar Thuarascáil an Ghrúpa Speisialta um Uimhreacha na Seirbhíse Poiblí agus Cláir Chaiteachais, agus is gnó don Rialtas iad na cinntí faoi na nithe...

Written Answers — Water Conservation: Water Conservation (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 546 together. The source data for per capita usage of 3.5 cubic metres of water is Circular WSP1/08 which was issued by the Water Service Policy Section of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. This Circular refers to published UK best practice, which is detailed in CIBSE Guide L published in May 2007 and entitled...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to the Department for capital funding for the provision of a new school. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 1 rating. The long term projected enrolment for the proposed new school is a Principal + 12 Mainstream Teachers. Information in respect...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The tender report for the project to which the Deputy refers was recently received in my Department. The report is currently being assessed by the Professional and Technical staff of the Building Unit. Provided there are no issues arising therefrom, the school will be authorised to proceed to the construction stage.