Results 2,201-2,220 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The following table provides the details requested by the Deputy with the exception of enrolments for 2009/2010 which are not yet available as the returns have not yet been received from schools. The list includes 27 schools as there was a further 8 classroom school delivered late in 2008 in Saggart, under the rapid delivery programme. This was delayed from making the initial programme owing...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The first phase of a new post-primary school building with accommodation for up to 350 pupils has been completed and is in operation. The building's flexible design allowed for the opportunity to provide sufficient accommodation for a new start-up primary school as part of the first phase. This accommodation is available for use as a new primary school in 2010 if the demand is there. The...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1164 to 1182, inclusive, together. Information on the current school building programme and on applications on hand for major capital works is available on my Departmentâ€TMs web-site at www.education.ie. The following tabular statements (Table 1 and Table 2 respectively) provides the additional information requested by the Deputy. Every application for...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the construction industry has experienced a change in trading conditions in the last year. This has resulted in certain changes for the operation and management of large public tender competitions and the management of projects for my Department. The reduction in demand generally in the construction industry has resulted in welcome reductions in prices being...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The progression of school building projects, whether to commence architectural planning or to proceed to tender and construction, is undertaken with regard to a range of factors including the availability of funding and the priority attaching to projects. During the process to make a final selection of projects for the purposes of developing a school building programme, I consult with, and...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1185 and 1186 together. Information relating to appointments in temporary or permanent positions by teachers who qualified in Northern Ireland is not available on my Department's systems. However, I will arrange for information in relation to the number of appointments of EU qualified teachers to permanent and temporary posts in primary schools to be...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The recruitment and appointment of personnel to fill teaching posts is a matter for the authority of each individual school, subject to agreed procedures. It is the policy of my Department that only qualified personnel should be employed. Unqualified personnel should not be appointed except in exceptional circumstances and then only when all avenues for recruiting qualified personnel have...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1188 and 1189 together. My Department has made enquiries with Marino Institute of Education and the number of primary teachers who trained in another jurisdiction and who undertook all or part of the Scrudú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge (SCG) during the 2008/2009 academic year was 589. The SCG consists of 4 modules and candidates may take different modules in...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: In accordance with the terms of Directive 2005/36/EC the Teaching Council is the designated authority in Ireland for assessing applications for registration from persons recognised as teachers in other EU/EEA countries. Where shortfalls are identified in the courses of study undertaken leading to the academic and professional qualifications held by such applicants, the applicant must be...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have consistently said that the 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect, education, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be totally spared. The changes made in...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, provides parents with an appeal process where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, expels, suspends for a period greater than 20 days, or refuses to enrol a student. In these circumstances, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision. Where...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers was one of 25 projects I announced in February 2009 to commence architectural planning. Designs have been prepared and planning permission lodged for the project. The progression of the project is contingent on the receipt of the necessary statutory approvals and the acquisition of two strips of land by the Patron. It is not possible at this juncture...

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. The Design Team are currently working on a Stage 2(b) submission which, when completed, will then be submitted to my Department. Following receipt and approval of the Stage 2(b) submission my Department will revert to...

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 architectural planning and the project is currently awaiting the appointment of a Design Team.

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 early stage of architectural planning. In late April, the Department issued detailed comments on the stage 2a submission (developed sketch design) and requested additional information from the design team relating to the project. This was received in June and...

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

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 this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1199 and 1200 together. As the Deputy will be aware the employment relationship for teachers in Ireland is with individual school authorities rather than with my Department. While that is the case the actual contract offered by schools and duties required of a teacher must take account of, inter alia, employment legislation, the rules applying in the sector...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Teachers employed in primary, secondary and community/comprehensive schools and paid on the payrolls operated by my Department are paid on a fortnightly basis. The management allowances payable to these teachers are included as part of the salary paid each fortnight. The details of the numbers of teachers currently in receipt of management allowances on these payrolls are outlined in the...

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. A stage 2B submission has been received by my Department and is currently being considered. A contract notice seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified contractors has been published on the State's...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (6 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is set out below. My Department is processing the details returned by the VECs on the applications they have received under the Special Incentive Career Break Scheme. My Department will continue to monitor the implementation of this and the other incentivised schemes by the VECs. VEC Numberof Applic-ationsReceived Number awarded Number Refused 2009...