Results 2,781-2,800 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Third Level Charges: Third Level Charges (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, I am currently finalising a review of policy options relating to the introduction of a form of student contribution. There are many complex and competing considerations including costs, affordability and value for money for the taxpayer which will be taken into account by the Government in considering the available options. I will be providing the technical report...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 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 additional resources to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The SENO has no role in assigning individual...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: All 2,500 of the new part-time places that will come on stream in September 2009 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 Skills Needs. Calls for proposals for the new places have been issued to third-level institutions by the Higher...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is not required to develop a sectoral plan under the Disability Act 2005. For the Deputy's information the six Departments required to develop sectoral plans are the Departments of Health and Children; Social and Family Affairs; Transport; Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; Environment, Heritage and Local Government; and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In January 2009, officials from my Department met with the City Council and representatives of the GAA club to discuss the issue of entering into a lease arrangement with the City Council which in time will require the GAA club to surrender its interest on some of the lands required for a building project. In February 2009, Department officials met separately with representatives of Naomh...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 518 and 520 together. 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,...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As I indicated previously I have introduced a new €20 million scheme to improve roof and cavity wall insulation levels in school buildings across the country. The devolved energy efficiency scheme, which is being implemented with the help of Sustainable Energy Ireland, allows schools to apply for funding on a once-off basis to upgrade the fabric insulation in attics and the external cavity...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Independent mature candidates must provide documentary evidence as proof of their ordinary/permanent address from the 1st October of the year preceding entry to college. Examples of the type of documentary evidence normally required to establish residence are as follows: (i) Utility bills, such as a telephone, gas or ESB bill (ii) Evidence of registration with the Private Residential...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: From the detail provided by the Deputy in this instance my Department's National Educational Psychological Service cannot identify, within its records, any such pupil currently awaiting an educational psychologist's report. Perhaps the Deputy might provide additional information in relation to the child in question, most particularly the school which he currently attends, so that more...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school in question has two classes for pupils with mild general learning disability (MGLD). In February, my Department advised the school of its intention to suppress one of the classes as the enrolment fell below that required to retain the class. This position was re-stated to the school by letter on 11th June last. All children with MGLD who are in the class being suppressed will be...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The numbers of School Principals and Deputy Principals who have retired on pension from Primary, Secondary, Community and Comprehensive Schools in each of the years 2004 to 2008 inclusive are set out in the Tabular Statement. The figures for post-primary teachers do not include VEC teachers where the retirements and pension benefit awards are made by the relevant VEC. Number of Principals...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are currently 918 schools at primary and post-primary level renting temporary accommodation. I can confirm that the amount spent on renting temporary accommodation for 2008 was €53m. It should be noted that temporary accommodation is not limited to prefabs and can also involve the rental of high quality buildings. Following analysis of costs in my Department, it is now the practice...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for capital funding on 2nd June 2009. Their proposal includes 3 classrooms for a special needs unit to replace prefabricated units and associated external works. A decision will issue as soon as the application has been fully processed. In the interim, it is open to the school to apply to the Department in relation to any...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Higher Education Grant Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts 1968 to 1992. Under the scheme an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. I understand the college referred to by the Deputy is a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, it is my Department's intention to provide the school in question with a new building. In this regard, agreement has been reached to provide the new building on a V.E.C. owned site. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 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....

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (30 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A total of 1439 appeals have been made to the Department of Education and Science, under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, against decisions by schools to refuse enrolment to children. Of this total, 738 went to full hearing, of which 360 of the appeals were upheld in favour of the parents. Determinations issued by appeal committees under Section 29 of the Education Act are binding by...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (25 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to grants for patron bodies at primary level for the purpose of running their organisations in the past five years is set out in the following table. Since 2007, my Department has required each of the patron bodies to provide audited accounts for the previous year as a pre-condition to payment of these grants. Audited accounts have been...

Written Answers — School Inspections: School Inspections (25 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212, 218 and 219 together. I can confirm that Department officials met with the management of the school concerned in September 2006. My Department had engaged frequently with the school in question from 2003 onwards arising from concerns identified by my Department's Inspectorate and from other concerns that were brought to my Department's attention, and...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (25 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has permitted the retention of a mild general learning disability (MGLD) class in the schools in question for the 2009/2010 school year subject to the schools' acceptance of the administrative arrangements.