Results 2,161-2,180 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Oct 2009)

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 allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. All schools have the names and...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The postgraduate diploma in primary education is currently provided by four state-funded Colleges of Education. The issue of providing such courses in the coming year is currently being considered in the context of likely demands in the system and the resources available. A decision on the matter will be communicated to the relevant colleges as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy is referring to funding arrangements for primary schools. The way in which primary schools are funded takes account of the fact that the State's accounting period is based on a calendar year, while schools traditionally operate on the academic year commencing in September. Thus, primary schools receive capitation funding in January and June, and the ancillary services grant in...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1109 and 1110 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO) for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's Technical Guidance Documents require that all new school buildings and extensions are designed to cater for persons with varying ranges of physical ability and to ensure that they are not disadvantaged by design limitations. These guidance documents state that at least one car-parking space near the main entrance should be provided for disabled users and the number of...

Written Answers — School Hygiene: School Hygiene (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy may be referring to advice which my Department sent to schools in Circular 47/09, sent to all primary and post-primary schools in August, which advised schools on how they could source information on and respond to the pandemic flu. My Department has been communicating public health advice from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health and Children to the...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by Deputy is currently being collated by my officials, but unfortunately it has not been possible to fully gather all the relevant data in the time available. I will reply directly to the Deputy as soon as the information has been fully collated.

Written Answers — School Funding: School Funding (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to reassure the Deputy that I, along with my colleagues in Government, recognise the importance of ensuring that students from a Protestant background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos. The Deputy will be aware that I have met with representatives of both the Church of Ireland Board of Education and the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland to discuss the funding...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In the 2008/2009 year, Modern European languages were taught in 505, or 15%, of our primary schools as part of an initiative that was introduced by my Department in September, 1998. The aims of this initiative include the development of communication skills in a modern European language, the fostering of positive attitudes to language learning and the diversification of the languages taught...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The new site for the school referred to by the Deputy was acquired by the school Patron from a local developer as a result of a land swap. My Department has funded the construction of the new school. However, the project scope was predicated on the assurance that certain site development works and appropriate site access from the main road were to be carried out by the developer such as...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled and will be sent to him as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that an application for large scale capital funding for a new second level college at Croom, County Limerick has been made to my Department. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned an appropriate band rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along...

Written Answers — Departmental Projects: Departmental Projects (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The pilot programme recommended by the Task Force on Active Citizenship in its March 2007 Report is operated by the National Assessment Committee of the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF) from a fund administered by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA). Through its Regional Office Service, my Department has encouraged schools to make their...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been approved to progress to tender and construction and is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. An application has been made for planning permission and the Design Team are currently working on providing further information which was requested by the local authority. An application for a fire safety certificate...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The position is that applications have been received from three higher education institutions for designation as Universities; Waterford Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology. The issue of university designation does not just affect the institutions and the regions from which applications have been received; it also impacts on the future...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the student support schemes, maintenance grants are payable at either the adjacent or the non-adjacent rate. The adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable where the grant holder's normal residence is 24 Km or less from the college which he/she is registered. The non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable in all other cases, including all eligible mature students. The...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that in view of the current budgetary constraints I am not in a position to provide a definite date for the acquisition of a suitable site for the school referred to by the Deputy. On foot of my Department acquiring a suitable site, the proposed building project for the school will be considered in the context of the Department's multi-annual school building and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that an application for large scale capital funding for an extension has been made to my Department by the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned an appropriate band rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Final tenders for the second bundle of Primary/Post Primary schools consisting of six schools including the school referred to by the Deputy were received by the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) on the 1st July 2009. The tender evaluation process is nearing completion and it is expected that the preferred bidder will be announced shortly. Subject to the planning process it is...

Written Answers — Higher Education Authority Funding: Higher Education Authority Funding (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1127 and 1130 together. The recurrent provision for the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for 2009 is some €6.236 million. Recurrent funding allocated by my Department to the HEA in each of the past ten years is set out in the attached table. These funds are used to meet the general running expenses of the Authority. Planned expenditure levels for my...