Results 1,981-2,000 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Planned expenditure levels for my Department will be considered as part of the Estimates and budgetary process for 2010. This will include consideration of the report of the special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes, and the decisions on all of the issues arising will be a matter for the Government. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that my Department has published provisional information on the Department's website about teacher allocations at primary and post-primary level for 2009/10 school year. This was done as a first step at improving the level of information in the public domain about changes to the staffing allocations at both primary and post-primary level. The purpose of the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to amendments to the Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement (ISER) which have issued from the Department of Finance, valid applications will be considered up to and including 23 October, 2009, so it is not possible to confirm final numbers of applicants at this time. However, taking as a baseline the latest staffing figures available at end-September, 2009, the numbers of officers at...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 and 599 together. I will arrange to forward the information requested by the Deputy shortly. It is currently anticipated that there will be a saving of at least €14 million in expenditure on rental temporary accommodation in 2009, compared to 2008. This clearly demonstrates the efforts being made by my Department to reduce spending in this area. My...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for large scale capital funding for the provision of ancillary accommodation from the school to which he refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 3. Information in respect of the current...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

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

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will arrange to have the information requested by the Deputy sent to him.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have asked the Planning and Building Unit of my Department to ensure that the Report in question is sent to the Deputy at the earliest opportunity and I understand that the arrangements have been made to do this.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. This project has been announced to proceed to tender and construction. My Department is currently reviewing a revised Stage 2b submission (Detailed Design) recently received from the Board of Management and their design team and I understand that the outcome of that review will be...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for a higher education grant is a matter for the relevant VEC as appropriate. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the relevant VEC. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's total budget in 2009 for primary, post-primary and third level capital is €841m. Of this, just under €614m is in respect of primary and post-primary schools and just under €200m is in respect of the third level sector. In respect of third level sector capital, at the end of September a total of almost €115m had been expended from a total allocation of just under...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department recently received an accommodation proposal from the school to which the Deputy refers and this is under consideration. My officials will revert to the school authority in due course in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In September when I spoke at the annual conference of the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) I indicated publicly my general intentions in relation to the future organisation of the VEC system. I invited the IVEA and other interested parties to make written submissions if they wished that I would consider in finalising proposals. Furthermore the Programme for Government includes a...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's PPP school building programme. A site has been purchased for the provision of a new school building. My Department is now in the process of identifying what school projects are eligible for consideration for inclusion in the 4th bundle of PPP schools which I intend announcing as quickly as possible and the school in question...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Although referred to as student grants, I understand that the funding for participants made available by Fáilte Ireland for the programmes in question are in the nature of attendance-based monthly allowances which are not means-tested. Responsibility for funding decisions in relation to such programmes is a matter for Fáilte Ireland and I have no role in the matter. My Department's...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I would like to clarify for the Deputy the process of payment to schools of rental grant aid for temporary accommodation. My Department contributes 95% towards the cost of rental of temporary accommodation for schools with permanent recognition, where the need for additional accommodation has been established. The school authority will pay a local contribution of the balance of 5% subject to...

Written Answers — Coistí Ranna: Coistí Ranna (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Níl sé i gceist agam coiste dá leithéid a bhunú. Seans go gcabhródh sé leis an Teachta dá ndéanfainn cur síos ar na beartais atá á gcur i bhfeidhm ag an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta chun an Ghaeilge a chothú agus a chur chun cinn sa chóras oideachais. D'fhoilsigh an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta staidéar mheastóireachta na cigireachta dar teideal An Ghaeilge sa...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Forward Planning Section of my Department has carried out a study of the country to identify the areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary levels over the coming years. This study has been conducted using data from the Central Statistics Office, the General Register Office and the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains information relating to class size in primary schools for the school years 2006/07 to 2008/09. The primary census for the 2009/10 school year is currently underway and the final outcome will be made available when this process is completed..

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The records from the payroll databases indicate that there are 200 primary teachers and 27 within the post primary sector on regular contracts of employment who are paid at the unqualified rate. It should be noted that most of these teachers are awaiting registration.