Results 2,701-2,720 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As part of the expansion of the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007, a grant was allocated to the school in question to enable the management authority to provide 4 additional resource rooms. As a devolved scheme it is a matter for the Board of Management and its Consultant to progress the matter. However, I understand that tenders are due in this weekend and they hope to start construction...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In 2002, the Department received an initial application for large scale capital funding to provide for suitable ancillary accommodation at the school referred to by the Deputy. An updated application was received in September 2007 seeking funding for a major extension to include additional classroom accommodation. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Stage 2B for the proposed extension to the school referred to by the Deputy is currently being assessed by my Department's Professional & Technical Unit. When this process is complete and any issues arising have been dealt with it will then be considered for the tender stage.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that approval for the provision of extra accommodation was given to the school in question last May. It is now the practice to purchase rather than rent temporary accommodation where the need for such accommodation is likely to exist for more than 3 years. This will reduce the incidence of long term rental of prefabs. In July of 2008, I introduced a further...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 213 together. A new permanent 16 classroom school for the school referred to by the Deputy is at Practical Completion and will be ready for occupation in September 2009.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A two classroom extension plus ancillary accommodation was completed at the school referred to by the Deputy earlier this year. A further 6 classrooms are currently under construction and it is envisaged that they will be completed by the end of 2009 when the current extension is completed the school will be a 24 classroom school.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for large scale capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. 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 the Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers applied to the Department for large scale capital funding to provide for an 8 classroom extension to the existing school. More recently the school has sought a devolved grant to purchase a four classroom room modular build with the capacity to extend, in time, to eight classrooms. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In February 2000, the school to which the Deputy refers applied 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 a band 2 rating. The progression of all large scale building project, including the project for this school, from initial design through to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: County Kildare Vocational Education Committee as client/contracting authority for the project referred to by the Deputy, is currently re-locating the school and extending capacity to 1000 pupils. The project is currently in construction and is due to reach completion later this year.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In 1999, the Department received an initial application for large scale capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. The most recent application from the school was received in March 2009 requesting funding for a new school on a site to be provided by the Parish. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has not applied to my Department for large scale capital funding and it has indicated to my Department that it is not currently in need of such funding.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project to which he refers recently went on site and it is envisaged that the new school building will be complete in 12-15 months.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A major capital project delivering a new 8 classroom school was completed in 2006 for the school referred to by the Deputy. In 2007 the school in question received approval to build additional classrooms under the devolved Permanent Accommodation Scheme (PAS) and a grant on this basis was approved. The Board of Management was recently approved additional funding in relation to additional...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the Deputy is referring to financial support for specialised furniture for children with special needs. In general, where pupils have specific physical needs for specialised/adapted furniture and equipment in order for them to attend school, an application for funding may be made to the Planning and Building Unit in my Department. This application must be supported by an...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together. Under the terms of the maintenance grant schemes, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, means and previous academic attainment. The decision on eligibility for a higher education grant is a matter for the relevant local authority or...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am committed to providing information in relation to the allocation of teachers to schools and as a new feature on my Department's website. The process has begun with the provision earlier this year of initial information on the allocation of mainstream classroom teachers to primary schools under the revised schedule for 2009/10. To be clear there is no doubt that the budget measures...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 221 together. Information in relation to average class size and pupil teacher ratio is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The details for the current school year (2008/2009) are currently being compiled by my Department and the final outcome will be available later in the summer.

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware all primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can have an assessment...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Jul 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 (SNAs) to primary and post primary schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support....