Results 2,361-2,380 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: That would achieve Labour's ideologically driven goal of a fully State-owned banking system. Labour's approach is in violation of EU Commission rules since the Commission insists that valuations must be determined following a due diligence examination of each loan. Under NAMA, each loan will be valued one by one. The Commission does not allow a flat discount across all loans as Labour...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: This is high-risk strategy that would inevitably cost taxpayers even more in the end and it would undermine confidence in the banking system and the country as a whole. Political interference in lending policy has a disastrous history worldwide. Full nationalisation is the nuclear option. It is no coincidence that the only country to have fully nationalised its banking system in this crisis...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Question 613: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding an application for rent subsidy in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [28877/09]

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the Deputy's question refers to general operatives employed by City of Dublin VEC. Officials of my Department contacted the VEC and established that these employees had fixed term contracts for the period from September 2008 to June 2009 (i.e. the school year). This is in line with the usual practice in the VEC.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department currently has 7 staff assigned to the National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS) based at Donore Road Industrial Estate, Drogheda, Co. Louth and 3 school inspectors based at the Regional Development Centre, Dundalk Institute of Technology. All are permanent employees. The office properties that accommodate the staff concerned are leased by the Property Management...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I recently announced a new initiative whereby unemployed workers will have access to 2,500 new places on part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses from September 2009. All 2,500 places will be on courses that support the goals of the Government's "Smart Economy" plan and particularly those relating to specific skills needs of exporting sectors identified by the Expert Group on Future...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Combined classes are a feature of the majority of schools in the country and this arrangement has no adverse implications for the quality of the education children receive. While the staffing schedule allocates on the basis of an average number of pupils each individual school decides on how to arrange its classes. In terms of class sizes almost 80% of primary pupils were in classes of less...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, I announced in September 2008 that the project for the school in question was to proceed to re-tender and construction. My Department's Building Unit is currently awaiting a Stage 2B (Detailed Design) submission, to comply with the new form of Government Construction Contract. Once it is received and examined, my officials will be in contact with the school...

Written Answers — Public Service Review: Public Service Review (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: At the commencement of its work, the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes requested all Departments to prepare evaluation papers outlining potential areas for savings in staff numbers and expenditure. Such papers were prepared in respect of the Education and Science Vote. The Special Group met the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science in...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department does not calculate class size information by Dublin postal code. However the Statistics section of my Department's website now contains class size data at individual primary school level for the 2006\2007 and 2007\2008 school years. The information includes the number of pupils in each class, the number of pupils in each class size range and the number of teachers in each...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to confirm that applications have been received from a number of schools in the areas to which the Deputy refers, for major capital investment. All applications for capital funding are assessed in the School Capital Appraisal Section of my Department. As part of the assessment process, a project is assigned a band rating under published prioritisation criteria for large scale...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 831 to 854, inclusive, together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the total number of whole-time equivalent Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) employed in Primary schools in County Laois on 30 June 2008 was 127 and on 30 June 2009 was 130. The total number of whole-time equivalent Special Needs Assistants employed in Secondary, and Community and Comprehensive...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 855 to 869, inclusive, and 871 to 878, inclusive, together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the total number of whole-time equivalent Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) employed in Primary schools in Co Laois on 30 June 2008 was 127 and on 30 June 2009 was 130. The total number of whole-time equivalent Special Needs Assistants employed in Secondary, and...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 870 and 879 to 892, inclusive, together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the total number of whole-time equivalent Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) employed in Primary schools in Co Laois on 30 June 2008 was 127 and on 30 June 2009 was 130. The total number of whole-time equivalent Special Needs Assistants employed in Secondary, and Community and...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 893 to 917, inclusive, together. The Statistics section of my Department's website now contains class size data at individual school level for the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 school years. The information includes the number of pupils in each class, the number of pupils in each class size range and the number of teachers in each school. The details for the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 918 to 929, inclusive, and 931 to 943, inclusive together. The Statistics section of my Department's website now contains class size data at individual school level for the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 school years. The information includes the number of pupils in each class, the number of pupils in each class size range and the number of teachers in each school....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 930 and 969 to 992, inclusive, together. The Statistics section of my Department's website now contains class size data at individual school level for the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 school years. The information includes the number of pupils in each class, the number of pupils in each class size range and the number of teachers in each school. The details for...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 944 to 968, inclusive, together. The Statistics section of my Department's website now contains class size data at individual school level for the 2006\2007 and 2007\2008 school years. The information includes the number of pupils in each class, the number of pupils in each class size range and the number of teachers in each school. The details for the current...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 993 to 1017, inclusive, together. The Statistics section of my Department's website now contains class size data at individual school level for the 2006\2007 and 2007\2008 school years. The information includes the number of pupils in each class, the number of pupils in each class size range and the number of teachers in each school. The details for the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1018 to 1042, inclusive, together. The Statistics section of my Department's website now contains class size data at individual school level for the 2006\2007 and 2007\2008 school years. The information includes the number of pupils in each class, the number of pupils in each class size range and the number of teachers in each school. The details for the...