Results 7,701-7,720 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 680 to 683, inclusive, together. The deployment of administrative staff to any particular task, such as that referred to by the Deputy, is a matter for the management of the VEC. County Wexford VEC has advised my officials that one Grade V and two Grade III members of staff are currently assigned to the task of processing grant applications.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy is of course aware of the Government decision to implement a recruitment and promotion moratorium in the public sector. In respect of Vocational Education Committees, positions other than teacher and SNA posts in schools, and teacher equivalents that are directly providing tuition to pupils in schools, in special programmes or in an adult and further education, are comprehended by...

Written Answers — Home Tuition Scheme: Home Tuition Scheme (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to facilitate tuition for children of school going age awaiting an educational placement and also to provide early educational intervention for pre-school children with autism where no educational placement is available. The Deputy is aware that the child is question does not meet the eligibility criteria for...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The number of students taking the Leaving Certificate Applied programme is extracted from the returns made by post-primary schools of students enrolled as at 30th September each year. The number of students enrolled in the Leaving Certificate Applied programmes during 2008/2009 was 3,867 in the first year and 3,230 for the second year of the programme. The respective figures for 2007/08 were...

Written Answers — Flood Damage to Schools: Flood Damage to Schools (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department as any issues with school buildings arising from the recent weather conditions are a matter for schools' insurers in the first instance. Primary, Secondary and VEC schools which have suffered damage due to recent flooding and weather conditions should, in the first instance, contact their insurance companies....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Representatives from the school and the design team attended a stage 2(b) briefing which was held in my Department's office in Tullamore on 21 January. Thereafter, a letter issued to the school authorising the design team to prepare and submit stage 2(b) documentation (detailed design/tender...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Representatives from the school and the design team attended a stage 2(b) briefing which was held in my Department's office in Tullamore on 12 November last. Thereafter, a letter issued to the school authorising the design team to prepare and submit stage 2b documentation (detailed design/tender...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The acquisition of a site for the required school building project and the actual building project itself will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally having regard to the competing demands and existing commitments on my Departments School Building Programme. I am not in a position to say when my Department will proceed to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: There were 403 Special Needs Assistants (whole time equivalents) employed in schools in County Donegal on 29 January 2010 and paid on my Department's payroll. Three hundred and fifty (whole time equivalents) were serving in Primary schools and 53 in Secondary and Community/Comprehensive schools. The Deputy should contact Co Donegal Vocational Education Committee in relation to the number of...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The principal financial support available to students in higher education is the student maintenance grant. Students who are entering approved courses are eligible for financial assistance where they satisfy the relevant conditions including those relating to residency, means, age, nationality and previous academic attainment. When I announced details of the student maintenance grant schemes...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) in the first part of his question. The SWS is an annual devolved scheme financed from within the overall budget for the School Building and Modernisation Programme. The development of a programme of works for the 2010 Scheme is currently underway. In this regard, the closing date for the receipt of applications was 27...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that the enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment in schools. The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which assists parents who are experiencing difficulty in...

Written Answers — Grangegorman Development Agency: Grangegorman Development Agency (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Grangegorman Development Agency was established under Section 8 of the Grangegorman Development Agency Act 2005. The general aim of the Agency is to oversee the development of the lands at Grangegorman on behalf of the Departments of Education and Science, Health and Children, Dublin Institute of Technology and the Health Services Executive. Section 12 of the Act provides that the Agency...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Department is in receipt of an application for co-funding to construct a sports hall at the school to which the Deputy refers. The proposed project is being considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally.

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for permanent recognition in October 2008 which was the 2008/09 school year. When it applied for temporary recognition initially, the school supported its application with a projected enrolment of 232 pupils for the 2008/09 school year. The actual enrolment was 105 pupils. Its enrolment in the current school year is understood...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, notification of intention to grant planning permission for the two schools to which he refers issued from the local authority on the 28th of January 2010. Any decision to progress this project is contingent, among other things, on the receipt of the final decision to grant. When the necessary statutory approvals are received my Department will examine their...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. In January 2010 my Department authorised this project to progress to stage 2b. This includes applying for Planning Permission, Fire certificate and Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of tender documentation. The proposed building project will be considered in the context of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers was one of 25 that I announced would commence architectural planning in February 2009. Since then, my officials have prepared detailed drawings and the local authority facilitated a number of preplanning meetings prior to the lodgement of a planning application. Following the preplanning meetings, my Department addressed the issues raised by the...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Officials in my Department met with the Trustees of the school to which the Deputy refers. The Trustees expressed some concern about the future of the school and it is my understanding that they are considering a number of options in this regard. The Department understands that the Trustees have met with the Board of Management, staff and representatives of parents from the school to...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: From September 2010, as announced in Budget 2010, all new applicants including mature students who are in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance for all schemes, and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing PLC courses, will be ineligible for student maintenance grants. The cost of the student services charge and any fees payable to colleges will continue to be met, for eligible...