Results 8,021-8,040 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Inquiry into Child Abuse. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government has been considering the report of the panel appointed to assess the statements of resources submitted by the 18 religious congregations that were party to the 2002 indemnity agreement, together with the offers of contributions from the congregations following the call for them to make further substantial contributions by way of reparation in view of the Ryan report. From the...

Inquiry into Child Abuse. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am very conscious of the recommendations made to me by the Deputy, but unfortunately the issue is still under consideration by the Government. I made it clear previously that we are duty bound to make the congregations aware of the Government's thinking and to communicate our decision to the survivors. We hope to have those meetings shortly. I will take cognisance of the recommendation...

Inquiry into Child Abuse. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: At the start of this process it was the view of all Members that the public should be the final arbiter with regard to the offers the congregations would make. In that regard, the Government will, having taken a decision and discussed it with both parties, allow the public to be the arbiter. It would be inappropriate for the Government to interfere with regard to making recommendations as...

Leaving Certificate Gaeilge. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The need to promote greater proficiency in spoken Irish has been identified in a number of research reports in recent years. My Department has therefore taken a number of initiatives to ensure that students develop greater fluency in oral Irish during the course of their primary and second level education. In order to motivate students to focus on spoken Irish, a more prominent role has...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the current difficult economic circumstances have necessitated tough choices to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In these circumstances, from September 2010, as announced in the Budget, all new applicants who are in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing PLC courses will...

Written Answers — Further Education: Further Education (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the downturn in the construction sector has resulted in a significant fall off in the numbers of apprentices being recruited nationally. The number of FÁS registered apprentices requiring education and training has dropped from 8,300 in 2006 to 1,535 in 2009, a reduction of more than 80%. Construction related trades have been particularly affected. The Higher...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The overall policy goal of my Department is to ensure the highest standard of permanent accommodation for all schools. However, in the context of a rapidly increasing school population and competing pressure on the capital budget available to my Department, it is necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools. The policy of my Department...

Written Answers — Departmental Committees: Departmental Committees (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Question 25: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the process of public consultation that will be undertaken by the 2020 committee; when he expects the committee to complete its work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11865/10]

Written Answers — Departmental Committees: Departmental Committees (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Question 58: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the timescale that he has given the recently established 2020 committee to complete its work to draw up a long term strategy for the agri-food, forestry and fisheries sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11864/10]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the incident to which he refers only took place at the weekend. In the circumstances, my Department, with the assistance of the VEC, is currently concentrating efforts on providing alternative accommodation for the school to ensure that it can re-commence operation as quickly as possible. In this regard, I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that the VEC...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to industrial action on the part of some staff in the Department of Education and Science, I am not in a position to give full details of the project for the school referred to by the Deputy. However, as the Deputy will be aware, the progression of all large scale building projects, including the project for the school in question, from initial design stage through to construction will...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Mar 2010)

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. Given the increase in the birth rate in recent years the initial focus of this analysis is on primary school accommodation requirements and...

Written Answers — School Enrolment: School Enrolment (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The compulsory school starting age in a National School is 6 years of age and the Rules for National Schools provide that a child must be at least 4 years of age before she/he may be enrolled in a National School. The primary school curriculum is designed as an eight year course, including a two year infant cycle followed by six years in standards from first to sixth, with children...

Written Answers — School Property: School Property (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy may be aware that the vast majority of schools are privately owned and publicly-funded institutions with the interests of the State in the buildings constructed on these sites protected by way of long term leases. Generally, on foot of a request from the property owner and where my Department has determined that part of the school property is not required for educational purposes,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to industrial action on the part of some staff in the Department of Education and Science, I am not in a position to give full details on the school referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: A major capital project at the school to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced 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 — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to industrial action on the part of some staff in the Department of Education and Science, I am not in a position to give details of the case referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 215 together. I assume the Deputy is referring to the recommendations contained in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes to reduce, from 33 to 22, the number of Vocational Education Committees. In September when I spoke at the annual conference of the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) I...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. I can inform the Deputy that the Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to industrial action on the part of some staff in the Department of Education and Science, I am not in a position to give the details requested by the Deputy. However, I can say that a new state of the art post primary school building with capacity for 400 pupils will be opening in the area concerned shortly. In accordance with my Department's policy, the post primary schools in the...