Results 2,801-2,820 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (25 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am aware of the correspondence to which the Deputy refers and will respond to it as soon as I am in a position to do so.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, provides parents with an appeal process where a Board of Management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the Board refuses enrolment to a student. Where a school refuses to enrol a pupil, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision to either the relevant Vocational...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (25 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the application from the school in question for funding under the Summer Works Scheme to replace doors and windows has been approved following reassessment. The school management has been informed of the decision. A key principle behind the devolution of this Scheme is that responsibility for the management of the project is devolved to the school...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (25 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to grants awarded to the school since 2001 is not readily available. I have asked my officials to compile this information and to forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers received funding under the 2007 Small Schools Scheme. The school's original grant under the scheme was increased following an appeal for further funding to meet unavoidable extra costs. This school made an application under the SWS 2009 for a number of projects. However, their original application was not successful. The school submitted an appeal of...

Written Answers — Vocational Educational Committees: Vocational Educational Committees (25 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The post referred to by the Deputy is subject to the moratorium on recruitment and promotion applicable to the civil and public service and my Department does not have any authority to approve the filling of the post. The Government did decide that in exceptional circumstances certain posts may be filled, subject to the prior sanction of the Minister for Finance. In the case of the post...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has considered the correspondence submitted by the school in question appealing the decision to suppress a class for pupils with a Mild General Learning Disability. My Department recently advised the school that the decision to suppress the class remains. I understand that the school has subsequently written to my Department regarding the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has considered the correspondence submitted by the school in question appealing the decision to suppress a class for pupils with a Mild General Learning Disability. My Department recently advised the school that the decision to suppress the class remains. I understand that the school has subsequently written to my Department regarding the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The candidate was awarded the full rate of maintenance grant in March 2009 when outstanding documentation required to process her grant application was received by the awarding authority. I can confirm that the candidate has been paid all arrears to date, and the final grant instalment due to her for the current academic year will be issued on the 26th June, 2009.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and the Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under section 2 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 a person is liable to pay the pensions-related deduction if he or she is a public servant on or after 1 March 2009 and is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme or receives a payment in lieu of membership of such a scheme. Therefore, even if a person is not a...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In relation to the rental of temporary accommodation, my Department grant-aids rental costs to schools on a bi-annual basis - January to June and July to December. Payment is made on receipt of original provider invoices submitted by the school authorities to my Department. I assume that the Deputy is referring to schools where prefabs have been sanctioned by my Department but where the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 provides that a child (defined as a person who is not more than 18 years) with special educational needs shall be educated in an inclusive environment unless such an arrangement is inconsistent with the best interests of the child as determined by an assessment carried out under the EPSEN...

Written Answers — Departmental Scheme: Departmental Scheme (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's officials are in the process of introducing the cycle to work scheme for staff of the Department. In relation to teachers, my Department is making arrangements to introduce the cycle to work scheme for teachers during the 2009/2010 school year. It is proposed to discuss the terms of the scheme with union and management representatives in the near future.

Written Answers — Educational Qualifications: Educational Qualifications (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that, following discussions with FETAC, Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) have agreed to accept data on FETAC certification in an electronic file, rather than requiring applicants to produce a printed certificate. FETAC's latest assessment period closed on 31 May and a file containing results data for those on building energy rating (BER) assessor courses was sent to SEI on 3...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has approved the relocation of the school to the premises referred to by the Deputy. The school authority has been informed of my Department's decision.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has been offered an all-in grant for the provision of four additional mainstream classrooms of 49 sq m each. The school has been given the option of purchasing temporary accommodation with this grant aid or to build a permanent structure.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (24 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is not aware of instances where VECs have acquired land in the manner referred to by the Deputy.