Results 7,841-7,860 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 to 280, inclusive, together. The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to him.

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The level of student intake to the Colleges of Education is determined annually by my Department and it takes account of the supply of, and demand for, primary teachers. The estimated graduate numbers from the Bachelor of Education and Post Graduate courses in the State funded Colleges of Education are detailed below. The decision to provide the post graduate course is generally made on an...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the recent funding provided to primary schools to purchase teaching computers and digital projectors is a first step in investment in ICT in schools as outlined in the "Smart Schools = Smart Economy" Report published last November. Schools currently procure their own technical support as required, and some form of technical support is generally included in the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 and 284 together. Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, provides parents with an appeal process where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, expels, suspends for a period greater than 20 days, or refuses to enrol a student. In these circumstances, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware the establishment of the current national network of autism-specific special classes in schools has been a key educational priority in recent years. In excess of 380 classes have now been approved around the country at primary and post primary level, including many in special schools. The NCSE will continue to establish additional special classes as required. I have...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to him.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the attached table. The Deputy will be aware that, as agreed in the Renewed Programme for Government, Budget 2010 has provided additional support to allow schools to provide grant assistance for books. My officials will be consulting with the management bodies to consider the details of how these funds will be channelled to schools...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the attached table. The funding arrangements at post-primary level reflect the sectoral division of our second-level system. At the core of all arrangements is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding. My Department provides funding to secondary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand from the Deputy that in this case the student wishes to determine her eligibility for free tuition fees at third level. Under the terms of my Department's Free Fee Initiative the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study. The main conditions are that students must: a) Be first-time...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: On 5th February 2010 there were 35,705 active members of the Primary School Teachers Pension Scheme and 23,847 active members of the Secondary, Community and Comprehensive School Teachers Pension Scheme. The figures include permanent, temporary whole-time, part-time and substitute teachers. On the 5th February, 2010 there were 11,147 retired Primary Teaches in receipt of pension payment and...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will arrange for the details being requested by the deputy to be forwarded to him. The pension scheme for first and second level teachers are unfunded defined benefit schemes. There is no pension fund nor are contributions by teachers invested. Like many other public sector pension schemes, the teachers schemes operate on a pay-as-you-go basis. Pension contributions are credited as...

Written Answers — Commissions of Inquiry: Commissions of Inquiry (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The position regarding the persons referred to is that they were taken off pay on various dates between 30th June 2009 and the 18th December 2009. As a result of end of year adjustments, some further payments were made on the 24th December 2009.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Higher Education Grants Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Each year, the scheme specifies a list of approved institutions for grants purposes. The approved institutions mainly comprise of publicly-funded third level institutions. Grants for undergraduate students may be portable to publicly-funded colleges in other EU Member...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department grant-aids the provision of temporary accommodation in respect of schools requiring interim accommodation to cater for additional staffing allocations while awaiting the provision of permanent accommodation. The school to which the Deputy refers applied for the replacement of existing prefabs with new prefabs in April 2009. Unfortunately, the...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to inform the Deputy that it is not possible for schools to choose their own service provider under the Schools Broadband Programme, as public procurement procedures require that Internet Service Providers are selected for the Schools Broadband Programme through a competitive, technology-neutral, central procurement process. My Department is currently awarding contracts under the...

Written Answers — Cross-Border Co-operation: Cross-Border Co-operation (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department seeks to develop cooperation and common action in education on an all-island basis in the context of the Good Friday Agreement principally through the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). Through the NSMC framework my Department cooperates with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland (DENI) to develop common policies and approaches in areas such as of special...

Written Answers — Magdalen Laundries: Magdalen Laundries (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware the Magdalen Laundries were privately owned and operated institutions which were not subject to State regulation or inspection and, as a consequence, are not scheduled institutions for the purposes of the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002. My Department does not have details of every individual who was placed in a laundry. In relation to the number of children...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department has received an application for major capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 2. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Planning and Building Unit of my Department is aware of the issues at the school to which the Deputy refers. An Emergency Works Grant was approved in July 2009 to address these issues. As the grant was not drawn down by the school, it was again offered in December 2009. To date, the funding has still not been drawn down. In January 2008, the school applied for large scale capital...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project at the school to which the Deputy refers is 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 phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands...