Results 1,861-1,880 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at a very advanced stage. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Schools have flexibility in the way in which they assign pupils and teachers to classes and the Department does not allocate teachers to specific classes or age groups. The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30th September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at second-level, mainly in the case of language subjects, decisions on which textbooks to use in first and second-level schools are taken at school level. Syllabus planners are conscious of the need to avoid over-frequent changes to textbooks, primarily in order to minimise increases in the cost burden for parents. However, textbooks have to be...

Written Answers — Student Support Services: Student Support Services (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that an official from my Department met with the parent of the child in question in the last week. The National Council for Special Education has advised that additional educational support services will be sanctioned to the post-primary school in question on the same basis as the primary school where the child is currently enrolled. The provision of health...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The proposed building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an early stage of Architectural Planning. Officials from my Department will be in contact with the school authorities in the matter in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The statutory framework for the maintenance grants scheme, as set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1969 to 1992, provides for means-tested higher education grants in order to assist students to attend full-time third level education. An approved course for the purposes of the Grants Schemes means a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 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 (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. My officials have been in contact with the NCSE and I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the pupil in...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was set up to improve the delivery of education services to persons with special educational needs arising from disabilities with particular emphasis on children. The Council, with its network of up to 80 Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is providing a structure for the delivery of an effective and...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care, including traffic management measures. The issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools, such as road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter that should be raised in the first instance with the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The process of appointing a design team to the school building project referred to by the Deputy has commenced. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A Stage 2A submission for the school to which the Deputy refers has been recently received by my Department. 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 on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school in question is at an early stage, and requires a technical visit to progress matters. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school in question has applied for an extension/refurbishment project which is in early architectural planning. A revised schedule of overall accommodation was prepared based on a long term projected enrolment of 350 pupils. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Schedules of accommodation have been accepted by County Clare VEC for an extension project at Ennis Community College. The project is awaiting the appointment of a Design Team. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for the provision of a PE hall has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school in question is at an early stage. The project is awaiting the appointment of a Design Team. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has applied for large scale capital funding for the provision of additional accommodation. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) represents the interests, at national level, of the thirty three Vocational Education Committees. The IVEA, which was formally known as the Irish Technical Education Association, was established in 1902 and the name was changed to the IVEA in 1944. The IVEA is recognised by my Department as one of the three second level management bodies under...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The issues raised in the submission from the staff at the school referred to by the Deputy are currently being considered by my Department. I would like to assure the Deputy that a reply will issue shortly to the staff addressing all of the concerns raised.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The new Leaving Certificate examination schedule for 2008 was agreed with a working group representing the Partners in Education, and is designed to reduce the demand on students especially during the first week of the examinations. It advanced Chemistry, which is sat by some 7000 students, and Geography, sat by some 25,000 students, to Thursday and Friday respectively of the first week,...