Results 1,681-1,700 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy heard my speech last night. He is deliberately misleading the House.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As I stated last night, if the finances are available we will examine the issue.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy asked me a question and I am simply giving an answer.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: At the outset, I wish to advise the Deputy that there are now over 19,000 staff in our schools working solely with children with special needs. This includes almost 10,000 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) — compared with just 300 in 1997. SNAs are sanctioned by special education needs organisers to schools specifically to assist in the care of pupils and students with disabilities in an...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that 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. My Department is advised that the Health Service Executive (HSE) have formally conveyed its approval to dispose of lands either to South Tipperary County Council or directly to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In April, my Department notified the school referred to by the Deputy that based on the School's enrolment it had an over-allocation of 5 hours under the General Allocation model. As this is a recent development it is not intended to reduce the school's allocation for this school year. All primary schools have recently been asked to complete an application form for the allocation of Learning...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The process of reviewing the income limits, rates of grant and other aspects of the general criteria of the 2008 Maintenance Grant Schemes is a priority in my Department at present. Decisions on the 2008 schemes will be announced as soon as the process is completed.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In general, the Office of Public Works (OPW) procures sites on behalf of my Department. More recently, my Department has begun interacting directly with several local authorities in relation to acquiring sites, particularly in rapidly developing areas. The question of the use of Compulsory Purchase Order is a matter for the relevant local authority in the first instance.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (28 May 2008)

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. In recent years the approved level of intake to the Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) has been 1,000 annually. All colleges providing Bachelor of Education courses are State funded and tuition fees are not levied on...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 to 314, inclusive, together. There is currently no requirement for primary schools to submit copies of itemised bills to my Department. Section 18 of the Education Act, 1998 and Section 19 of "The Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure" handbook sets out the responsibilities of boards of management for maintaining school accounts. I am aware of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received an application for major capital funding for the school to which the Deputy refers. The school in question has not been selected for designation as a developing area school. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage to construction phase will be considered in an ongoing basis in the context of my...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is the policy of my Department to ensure that payments due to companies in respect of services, including those referred to by the Deputy, are made as expeditiously as possible. The Deputy will appreciate that queries may arise in specific cases that need to be resolved before payments can issue. These may arise in cases in which invoice amounts differ from the amount approved by my...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department received an application for funding under the emergency works scheme from the schools in question. A decision on the application will be made as soon as possible and the schools will be advised of the outcome.

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Over 3,000 projects, costing in excess of €300 million, have been completed since the Summer Works Scheme was introduced in 2004. 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 Works Scheme for 2008. However, it is intended to have a Summer...

Written Answers — University Recognition: University Recognition (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applications have been received from three Institutes of Technology for designation as universities. These applications raise significant issues regarding Government policy towards higher education, in particular the existing roles of the Universities and Institutes of Technology which have distinctive missions from each other, provide different levels and types of academic programmes,...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The first meeting of the Appeal Board for Mainstream Staffing in primary schools took place on 20 May, 2008 at which an appeal on behalf of the school in question was heard. I understand that the Appeal Board deferred a decision on the appeal application pending receipt of further information. When this process has been completed the Board of Management will be notified of the outcome of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the 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 Programme. However, in light of...

Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The student services charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services. The charge, which is €825 in the current academic year, does not represent the total allocation towards student services from institutions' budgets. As the Institutions are autonomous, they determine the internal disbursal of funding, including funding...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (28 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued to all primary schools each year. Data submitted to my Department by the Board of Management of the school referred to by the...