Results 7,501-7,520 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is established under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 as the statutory body with responsibility for school attendance. The CEO post is provided for under Section 36 of the Act with responsibility to manage and control the administration and business of the Board and is accountable to the Board. The term of appointment for the CEO of the NEWB...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: A revised tender report, for the school to which the Deputy refers, was received recently by my Department and is currently being assessed. I expect my officials to be in contact with the Board of Management in the coming days authorising them to commence the award process.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The arrangements for the probation of newly qualified teachers have evolved differently at primary and post-primary level and within different types of school at post-primary level. At primary level, satisfactory completion of the probationary period requires the newly qualified teacher to receive a favourable inspection report on his/her work from the Inspectorate of my Department. In...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that an application for assistive technology in respect of the pupil in question has been received in my Department. This application is currently being processed and a decision will issue to the school shortly.

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The 700 schools referred to by the Deputy were identified in a survey conducted by my Department in 2005. The data from this survey has since enabled, my Department, through its Teacher Education Section, to make additional resources available to provide targeted training in the Stay Safe Programme to these particular schools. To date more than 500 of the 700 identified have accessed...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Higher Education Grants Schemes operate under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under the Higher Education Grants Scheme an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. An approved institution is...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 Jan 2010)

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 been...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1106 and 1119 together. The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at tender stage. Once the tender report has been assessed, and all outstanding issues resolved, a contractor will be appointed. It is envisaged that subject to the foregoing, construction will commence in Quarter 2 of 2010.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to confirm that I have written directly to the person referred to by the Deputy in connection with the provision of the new second level school in County Waterford. The new post primary school project at the location referred to in Co. Waterford is one of eight schools which I approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership. This...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: A revised tender report, for the school to which the Deputy refers, was received recently by my Department and is currently being assessed. I expect my officials to be in contact with the Board of Management in the coming days authorising them to commence the award process.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that nine tenders were received for the project to which he refers. My officials are currently assessing the Tender Report which was received in recent days. Assuming that there are no issues arising, the project will be authorised to proceed to award the contract shortly.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: A reply has issued to the correspondence referred to by the Deputy by the Higher Education-Equity Of Access Unit of my Department.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

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 — Research Funding: Research Funding (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Irish Research eLibrary (IReL) is an electronic research library, providing online access to research publications across a range of disciplines in the seven universities and provides an important service to students, researchers and academics. As the Deputy may be aware, the Government has provided significant direct funding in recent years to universities towards the cost of e-journal...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers made an application for a new school building in May 2005. The Department delivered an 8 classroom building in 2009 as the first phase of the project to meet the school needs. Forward Planning Section of the Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The Design Team are currently working on completion of the stage 2(b) report and expect to submit this to my Department shortly. On completion of stage 2(b) this project will proceed to tender and construction. However, until the stage 2(b) is received and cleared it is not possible to provide a more...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The main financial support available to students in higher education is the Maintenance Grant. Mature students who are entering approved courses are eligible for financial assistance where they satisfy the relevant conditions including those relating to residence, means, age, nationality and previous academic attainment. Under the student grant schemes a mature candidate, if approved, is...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that tenders were received by County Donegal VEC in December and the tender report is currently being compiled. Once the tender report has been approved the project will be authorised to proceed to award a contract.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The next stage for this project will be the completion of stage 2(b) of architectural planning. This will require tender documents for this project to be revised in line with the new form of Public Works Contract which is now mandatory for all such projects. The progression of all large scale...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The number of staff in the Department of Education and Science at end December in each year since 2007 is outlined as follows: 2007: 1342 (1252.95 WTE) 2008: 1428 (1330.64 WTE) 2009: 1359 (1270.30 WTE) The breakdown of staff by divisional structure at end December 2009 is tabulated below. The current breakdown of staff in the Department is not directly comparable to previous years due to...