Results 2,721-2,740 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level for future years. Factors under consideration include population growth, demographic trends, current and projected enrolments, recent and planned housing developments and capacity of existing schools to meet...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (2 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the drafting of Government legislation is a matter for the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government which is the statutory body charged with that function. I am satisfied that the drafting of legislation on behalf of my Department is dealt with as expeditiously as possible in order that it may be put before the Houses of the Oireachtas for debate at...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Returning Officers are statutorily responsible for the conduct of elections in the various constituencies and may, under electoral law, use school premises for this purpose. Where a school is used as a polling station for elections on a day on which the school was scheduled to be open, the school authorities concerned are allowed to count the day of polling as a day of exceptional...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In addition to the details of the applicant's condition supplied by the Deputy the child in question has a severe general learning disability and is therefore eligible for July Provision. The child's parents have been advised accordingly.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Criteria for the 2009 maintenance grant schemes are under review at present. Decisions on the 2009 schemes will be announced as soon as the process is completed.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, I met a delegation from County Offaly VEC, which included representatives of the school to which the Deputy refers, last November. We discussed their application for a large scale capital funding for a new school building, which has been received and assessed by my Department. The Deputy will be aware that on 12 February, 2009, I announced details of 25 projects...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that Circular 0015/2009 sets out how the new arrangements will operate for the allocation of language support teachers from September 2009. The circular sets out a structure and transparent approach for the operation of the alleviation measures that were announced in the budget for schools that have a significant concentration of newcomer pupils, including...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (1 Jul 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 various impacts at...

Written Answers — Gaelscoileanna sa Ghaeltacht: Gaelscoileanna sa Ghaeltacht (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Faoi théarmaí Ailt 6 den Acht Oideachais, 1998, leagtar oibleagáid shainiúil ar an earnáil oideachais cuidiú leis an nGaeilge a choinneáil mar phríomhtheanga an phobail i limistéir Ghaeltachta. Éilíonn an tAcht go gcuirfí riachtanais teanga agus cultúrtha na mac léinn chun cinn ag féachaint do roghanna a dtuismitheoirí. Chun na críche sin, is é polasaí mo Roinne go...

Written Answers — Luath-thumoideachas Iomlán: Luath-thumoideachas Iomlán (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tá fúm ceisteanna 272 agus 276 a thógáil le chéile. Tacaíonn an Roinn go hiomlán le múnlaí an tumoideachais agus tá scoileanna lán- Ghaeilge curtha chun cinn agus tacaithe aici ag an mbunleibhéal agus ag an iarbhunleibhéal. Baineann Ciorclán 44/2007 le cearta na dtuismitheoirí rochtain a bheith ag a gclann ar an gcuraclam iomlán, an Béarla san áireamh, ón gcéim is...

Written Answers — Aitheantas Gaelscoileanna: Aitheantas Gaelscoileanna (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tá fúm ceisteanna 273 agus 275 a thógáil le chéile. Is cóir dom a mhíniú go bhfuil an Coimisiún um Chóiríocht Scoile ag tabhairt faoi athbhreithniú ar an bpróiseas aitheanta do bhunscoileanna nua. Tá Meitheal Teicniúil curtha ar bun, faoi ordú Chathaoirligh an Choimisiúin, chun athbhreithniú iomlán a ghabháil de láimh ar na critéir agus ar na nósanna imeachta...

Written Answers — Curaclam na Gaeilge: Curaclam na Gaeilge (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Foilsitheoirí oideachasúla a sholáthraíonn téacsanna agus acmhainní do scoileanna de ghnáth ar bhonn tráchtála. Tá an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta bunaithe ag mo Roinn chun críche comhairle faoi pholasaí, taighde, seirbhís tacaíochta agus téacsanna agus ábhair a chur ar fáil chun tacú le múineadh na Gaeilge agus múineadh trí Ghaeilge. Tá...

Written Answers — Ionad Náisiúnta Oideachais: Ionad Náisiúnta Oideachais (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: D'fhógair mo chomhleacaí Comh-aireachta, an tAire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta agus an tAire Hanafin, a chuaigh romham, i Márta 2007 go mbeadh tionscnamh tacaíochta agus forbartha don Ghaeilge, faoi choimirce na Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta, suite ag Coláiste Íosagáin i mBaile Bhúirne agus go sannfaí ceathrar ball foirne breise don...

Written Answers — Canúintí na Gaeilge: Canúintí na Gaeilge (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tá fúm ceisteanna 278 agus 279 a thógáil le chéile. Soláthraíonn scoileanna sa Ghaeltacht oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge. Ina theannta sin, cuireann gréasán coláistí oideachais cúrsaí ar fáil do dhaoine óga agus d'aosaigh atá ceaptha chun inniúlacht sa sprioctheanga a fheabhsú agus deiseanna a thabhairt do mhic léinn iad féin a thumadh i gcanúint agus i gcultúr na...

Written Answers — Canúintí na Gaeilge: Canúintí na Gaeilge (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Is féidir gur eol don Teachta go bhfuil ról reachtúil ag an gComhairle Múinteoireachta maidir le hathbhreithniú na gcaighdeán a theastaíonn i gcomhair iontrála ar ghairm na múinteoireachta, ar a n-áirítear na caighdeáin eolais, scile agus inniúlachta a theastaíonn do chleachtas na múinteoireachta. Tá a cuid oibre maidir leis an athbhreithniú seo tosaithe ag an gComhairle...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has considered the correspondence submitted by the schools in question appealing the decision to suppress a class for pupils with a Mild General Learning Disability (MGLD) in each school. My Department recently advised both schools that the decision to suppress the classes remains. The material submitted by the schools did not include any...

Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has been working with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and Pobal on the re-orientation of the Millennium Partnership Fund, which was recommended by an independent evaluation commissioned by the HEA. The review recommended a more targeted approach, focusing the fund on a rigorously selected sample of groups with a strategic focus and good linkages with other stakeholders at...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education has been requested by my Department to arrange for its Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) to review special needs assistant (SNA) allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. The review is currently under way and it is intended...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department has received an application for major capital funding for the provision of a new school to cater for the school referred to by the Deputy. The application has been assessed and has been assigned a band 2.2 rating under the prioritisation criteria for large scale projects. Due to my diary commitments, it is not possible at this point in time for me to arrange...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Jul 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority - i.e. the relevant local authority or Vocational Education Committee. The applicant referred to by the Deputy should seek any additional information or clarification required directly from the assessing authority to which the application for a grant was made. These bodies do not refer individual...