Results 7,581-7,600 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was established under the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 to improve the delivery of education services to persons with special educational needs arising from disabilities with particular emphasis on children. Section 21 of the EPSEN Act sets out the process required to be followed...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Over 2,300 schools submitted applications by the closing date on 27 November 2009 in respect of the Summer Works Scheme 2010. Following an assessment process which is currently underway, 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. When the assessment process is...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since 1 January 2010, all schools, including those within the DEIS programme, are liable for full metered water charges. In order to avoid substantial increases in their water charges, it is essential that schools put in place water conservation measures. Actions that schools can take in this regard were included in Circular 46/2008, issued by my Department in April 2008. Schools were advised...

Written Answers — Site Acquisition: Site Acquisition (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy the acquistion of the site will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to the Department for school buildings generally.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been announced to progress to tender and construction. Stage 2(a) for the project was approved in late December and the Design team have been authorised to progress to stage 2(b) of architectural planning. Stage 2(b), which involves application for planning permission, fire certificate etc. and the preparation of tender documents, is...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: On 16 September 2009 a reply issued to the candidate referred to by the Deputy in respect of his appeal.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The breakdown of money paid to each local authority and vocational education committee by my Department in respect of grants to eligible students in each county for 2007, 2008 and 2009 is set out in the following table. Staffing costs associated with the processing of grants are met by local authorities and vocational education committees within their overall resources and a breakdown of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that a site has been identified and Contracts for the acquisition of the site are being exchanged.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials in my Department are aware of the issues affecting delivery of this project. Unfortunately, the delay in receiving Planning Permission stands to impact the schedule for delivery. The first request by the Local Authority for further information pursuant to the Planning application involved certain issues which were not raised at my Department's...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applications for redundancy are being received and processed in my Department on an ongoing basis. I can confirm that an application has been received from the Special Needs Assistant referred to by the Deputy and it is expected that any payment owed will issue in March.

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is recognised by my Department. In common with all schools, when initially established, the school was granted temporary recognition to allow it to demonstrate its viability. Last year, the Department extended the school's temporary recognition for a further three years to allow it the opportunity to develop its enrolments further and demonstrate its...

School Management. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: In the normal course there is no requirement for schools to either notify my Department in advance of a decision to close or to subsequently report to my Department on each individual decision taken by a school to close, whether this arises from adverse weather, failure of heating or water systems, or as a result of a bereavement within the school community. Consequently my Department does...

School Management. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Is Deputy Brian Hayes saying to me that I should be micro-managing every school, that I should be aware of what is the lesson content? I have far more regard for the professionalism, integrity and commitment of principal teachers and school teachers than the Deputy has. My Department officials have met with the relevant management authorities. They have discussed this issue with them. The...

School Management. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am glad the Deputy asked me that question.

School Management. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The report came back from the central committee and the indication from that committee - from a senior official in my Department whom I respect very much - was that the weather forecast for that weekend was extremely bad and would have consequences. As the Deputy will be aware, a board of management has responsibility within the school itself. I felt I had a responsibility outside of the...

School Management. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: -----pay tribute to RTE on what an outstanding service it gave to people, and to parents and schools throughout the country? I am not sure it would be in our interests to be duplicating and, indeed, triplicating that.

Inquiry into Child Abuse. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will be bringing the report of the panel appointed by the Government to assess the statements of resources submitted by the 18 religious congregations that were party to the 2002 indemnity agreement, together with details of the congregations' offers of contributions, to the attention of the Government shortly. The arrangements for the publication of the panel's report and the offers of...

Inquiry into Child Abuse. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Absolutely.

Inquiry into Child Abuse. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: It would be remiss of me to remark otherwise. The Deputy will be aware that there are several statements from various congregations in the public domain which outline their offers. They are in the public domain.

Inquiry into Child Abuse. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Others wished to keep the matter confidential. The Deputy will recall the Taoiseach gave a commitment that as part of the overall situation, he would discuss the matter and the Government would consider the panel's report and the composition of the offers. After that, it would hold discussions with the survivors and the congregations and it would then be made public.