Results 7,241-7,260 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Residential Institutions Redress Board. (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are two issues here. We wanted to do the opposite, namely, not to make the contributions public because I wanted to give the survivors an opportunity to be the first to know, after the Government had considered both the panel report and the offers made. With regard to Deputy Quinn's point, the important thing is that when the Taoiseach and other Ministers met them the congregations...

Written Answers — Small School Closures: Small School Closures (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 50 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Special Group on Public Services and Expenditure was established to examine current expenditure programmes in each Government Department and to make recommendations to Government for ensuring a return to sustainable public finances. The report outlined that of the 3,200 primary schools in the State,...

Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 389 together. As I stated in my reply to Deputy Hayes today, I have had several meetings with Protestant representatives, most recently on 21 October, when I met with the Committee on Management for Protestant Schools. At that meeting, I invited the committee to join a working group with my officials to explore future measures to support their...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department acknowledges that some students are experiencing delays in the processing of their grant applications. It is understood that both local authorities and VECs, the awarding bodies for student grants, received an unprecedented number of student grant applications this year with increases in applications up by 30% in some areas. In some instances, late applications are still being...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is considering a number of broad policy issues relating to the recognition process for second level schools and the application from Educate Together to be recognised as a patron body at second level is being fully examined within the context of the relevant legal, financial and other factors. In recent talks between officials from my Department and representatives from...

Written Answers — Flood Damage: Flood Damage (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 60 together. I am very conscious of the hardship being experienced by many people across the country due to the recent unprecedented flooding. In regard to University College Cork specifically, I visited the University yesterday to view the position at first hand. My Department has also received an initial report from the University Authorities...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As I have indicated previously to the House, I am currently in the process of reviewing my Department's school building and modernisation programme with my officials in the context of the Estimates for 2010. I intend making a further announcement on the school building programme when that review has been completed. Decisions in respect of the expenditure of the annual allocation are made on...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The review of policies and procedures for the provision of temporary classroom accommodation is well underway. One change in policy that has been implemented is to grant aid the purchase (rather than rental) of temporary accommodation where the need for such accommodation is likely to exist for more than 3 years. Furthermore, since July 2008, it is my policy to offer schools being...

Written Answers — Third Level Charges: Third Level Charges (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 61 together. As the Deputy will be aware the student services charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services. These services may include on-campus medical and counselling facilities for students, access and disability services, careers office, student facilities, student clubs and...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is not possible to assess the scale of drop out in the current year on the basis of data currently available to my Department and the Higher Education Authority. However, the issue of student retention is a priority issue for me and it is an issue that will increase in importance in light of the recent increases in student enrolments in the last two years. In light of my prioritisation of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department currently has 226 major capital projects for school buildings at various stages of architectural planning. These range from projects where a design team is to be appointed to those currently at tender stage. Applications for 34 of these projects were received since January 2005. Applications for the remainder of these major capital projects would have been received in my...

Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Project Maths initiative is designed to encourage better understanding of Maths, to reinforce the practical relevance of maths to everyday life, and to ensure better continuity between primary and second level, and junior and senior cycle. It is being led by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, working in collaboration with my Department and the State Examinations...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: At primary level the average class size for each of the years 2006/07, 07/08 and 08/09 was 24.09, 23.9 and 23.8 respectively. The pupil teacher ratio varied from 16.41:1 in 2006/07, 16:1 in 2007/08 to 15.9:1 in 2008/09. At post-primary level the PTR in 2006/07, 07/08 and 08/09 was 24.09, 23.9 and 23.8 respectively. Data in relation to the 2009/10 school year is currently being collected...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Forward Planning Section of my Department utilises the latest in GIS technology to assist in planning school requirements in the future. The Geographical Information System contains information on all schools in the country, primary and post primary level, geo-coded to their location. The information is then linked to the relevant demographic information for those areas - typically the...

Written Answers — Training Programmes: Training Programmes (2 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Institutes of Technology have developed a new education programme for redundant apprentices, who cannot otherwise secure the job placements required in order to complete their normal apprenticeship programme. The programme focuses on developing core skills in maths, ICT and business in order to facilitate students progressing to other higher education programmes or to completing their...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers made an application to my Department in February 2008 for large scale capital funding for a classroom, a resource room, a GP room and ancillary facilities. 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...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the terms of my Department's Higher Education Grants Scheme, maintenance grants are not payable to candidates who already hold an undergraduate degree and are pursuing a second undergraduate degree. Similarly tuition fees, under the Free Fees Initiative, are not payable in respect of a second period of college attendance on a course at the same level. These restrictions apply to...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (2 Dec 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. Ennis in Co. Clare has been identified as one of those locations. When the required reports have been completed for these initial areas...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority - i.e. the Local Authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (2 Dec 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The position is that there is a distinction between the criteria which determines eligibility under my Department's free fees schemes, and the criteria by which individual third level institutions establish the rate of tuition fee to be charged, in cases where a student does not qualify for free fees. The third level institutions are autonomous bodies and, as such, may determine the...