Results 2,341-2,360 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the Taoiseach and relevant Ministers, including myself, met representatives of the religious congregations on 4 and 24 June last. At the meeting on 4 June, the Taoiseach conveyed the views of the Government and this House, that further substantial contributions are required by way of reparation and that these contributions need to be capable of being assessed by...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has obtained the sanction of the Minister for Finance for an exemption from the staffing moratorium in respect of the post to which he refers at Confey College, Leixlip. Accordingly, my Department has given the Chief Executive Officer of Co Kildare VEC approval to fill the post.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that my Department sanctioned approval for Kildare VEC to purchase a site for the school in question. I am advised that negotiations are at an advanced stage. The Deputy will appreciate that given the commercial sensitivities in relation to the acquisition of sites generally, I am not in a position to comment any further at this time.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together. The Deputy will be aware that the projects to which he refers were both included in my announcement earlier this year of 43 projects to proceed to tender and construction. Information in respect of the current school building programme, including these projects referred to by the Deputy, are now available on my Departments website at...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the project at the school to which he refers was included in my announcement earlier this year of 43 projects to proceed to tender and construction. Information in respect of the current school building programme, including the project referred to by the Deputy, is now available on my Departments website at www.education.ie. An application for planning...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. 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 with all assessed...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. 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 with all assessed...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Sep 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that plans are well in train to re-locate the school to which he refers to alternative accommodation. The planning and Building Unit of my Department is working closely with the school authority to ensure that the transfer to this accommodation is as smooth as possible. With regard to the school's application for a new building, this, in common with all...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A number of key projects were identified as priority elements of the decentralisation programme in the Government announcement of 14 October 2008. The construction of a new headquarters building in Mullingar for the Department of Education and Science, in conjunction with a new headquarters for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Portlaoise and a new decentralised office for...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department provides grant aid, under the home tuition scheme, to parents of children with autism who are awaiting an educational placement or to provide early education intervention for pre-school children who have been assessed as having autism. The grant provides for ten hours home tuition per week for each child with autism aged between 2.5 and 3 years of age. This increases to twenty...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The budget measures will impact on individual schools in different ways depending on whether enrolment is rising or declining and the degree to which any one school has more teachers than it is entitled to under the allocation processes. In terms of the position at individual school level the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by my Department is the pupil enrolment...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In light of the Budget 2009 decision in relation to language support my Department has published a circular for schools which sets out how the new arrangements will operate for the allocation of language support teachers from September 2009. The circular sets out a structured and transparent approach for the operation of the alleviation measures that were announced in the budget for schools...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together. 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...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Sep 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 primary and post primary schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Sep 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 primary and post primary schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that there are 84 Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) posts in the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). SENOs are deployed by the NCSE throughout the State to provide a nationwide service. Each SENO works in an assigned local area with parents, schools, teachers, psychologists, health professionals and other staff who are involved in the provision...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (17 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, under Section 15 of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. Responsibility for the appropriate supervision of students is therefore a matter for the individual Board of Management. While the Department does not issue specific guidelines on requirements for supervision in the specific situations...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The scale of the economic challenge facing Ireland is unprecedented. Our banking system is in crisis and businesses and households across the country are struggling. In response, the Government has devised a carefully considered solution to our financial sector difficulties - the National Assets Management Agency. In simple terms, NAMA will help banks to access cash to lend to businesses...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: -----because a discount of that size would wipe out the entire capital base of the entire banking system and the State would then have to recapitalise the banks in full.