Results 1,421-1,440 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension has been received from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. An assessment of projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and housing developments in the area will be required in order to determine the long term projected staffing figure on which the school's accommodation needs will be based. Once the long...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Circular 044/2007, issued in July 2007, requires all schools to provide the minimum recommended tuition in English in Irish medium primary schools, beginning no later than the start of the second term in Junior Infants. The revised primary curriculum was launched in 1999 after extensive consultation with the partners in education. Page 27 in the Introduction to the Curriculum states "It is a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that an application for funding has been received from the relevant Vocational Education Committee in respect of the school in question. The application seeks funding for an extension, refurbishment and a PE Hall. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Office of Public Works (OPW), which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally, has been asked to source a suitable site for the school in question. A suitable site has been identified. The progression of the site acquisition for the school in question and all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project for the school referred to by the Deputy has advanced to the stage that the Department has agreed the Schedule of Accommodation for a new 16-classroom school. The site required for the new school has now been acquired and the process of appointing a design team has commenced. The Department published the advertisement seeking qualified consultants on the public procurement website...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special needs supports on the basis of applications in respect of individual pupils. The SENOs operate within the policy outlined in my Department's...

Written Answers — School Funding: School Funding (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department does not operate a debt relief scheme for schools. However, a small number of schools have sought assistance as an exceptional matter to deal with serious financial difficulties. Between 2002 and 2006, additional financial assistance for this purpose was provided to a total of 97 schools, mainly serving disadvantaged areas. In 2002, 26 schools received approximately...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Where the nature of the pension awarded to the teacher on initial retirement does not debar a return to employment, such a return to work may give rise to abatement of pension. Abatement is a standard feature of public service pension schemes and is the mechanism used to ensure that the combined earnings (pension plus pay) do not exceed the uprated pay on which the pension is based. Where a...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: While my Department does not operate a specific national scheme for the provision of homework clubs, it supports a range of programmes which target additional resources at pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in order to facilitate their full participation in the education system. In assessing applications for funding, my Department gives consideration to interventions already...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: While my Department does not operate a specific national scheme for the provision of homework clubs, it supports a range of programmes which target additional resources at pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in order to facilitate their full participation in the education system. In the region of €800 million will be spent by my Department this year on tackling educational...

Written Answers — Departmental Statistics: Departmental Statistics (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are some 156 cases before the Courts which involve the Department as a Defendant or Respondent. They include litigation relating to Primary and Post-Primary Schools, Community and Comprehensive Schools, Special Educational Needs, school non-attendance, school transport, employment law matters, (including salaries and pensions), litigation arising from industrial relations actions...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The latest information available to my Department on the number of schools offering specific subjects relates to the 2005/06 school year. 554 second-level schools offered physics to Leaving Certificate level. 69 second-level schools offered the subject Physics and Chemistry to Leaving Certificate level. 550 second-level schools offered chemistry to Leaving Certificate level. 691...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for third level 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. I understand that the candidate referred to by the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that an application has been received from the school to which he refers for large scale capital funding. The development of the proposed project is at an advanced stage. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an ongoing basis in the context of my...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware of my Department's commitment to ensuring that all children including those with special needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. This facilitates access to individualised education programmes, fully qualified professional teachers, special needs assistants and...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Office of Public Works (OPW) which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally has been requested to source a suitable site for the school in question. On foot of advertising a number of proposals were received and an assessment of the proposals is currently with my Department for consideration and further instruction to the OPW.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension has been assessed and the long term projected staffing, on which the schools future accommodation needs has been determined. In order to determine how best to provide for the school's accommodation needs, it will be necessary to have a technical assessment of the existing buildings carried out. This will be considered...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will arrange for an official from my Department to contact the Deputy directly regarding this matter.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Stage 3 documentation for the project referred to by the Deputy is currently being examined by my Department's Technical Staff. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an ongoing basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am aware of the benefits to schools deriving from the Summer Works Scheme. Since the scheme was introduced in 2004, over 3,000 projects costing in excess of €300 million have been completed. With so many smaller projects having been completed over the past few years, my Department is focusing on delivering as many large projects as possible in 2008. Accordingly, there is no Summer...