Results 2,961-2,980 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Ryan Report on the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Motion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Deputy Brian Hayes suggested that my Department's failure to co-operate with the commission in its early stages somehow contributed to the perceived delays in the commission publishing its report. I will acknowledge that prior to 2003 some difficulties were encountered in my Department's dealings with the Commission-----

Ryan Report on the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Motion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: -----especially in regard to complying with a small number of discovery directions. However, in this regard, the commission's third interim report of December 2003 acknowledges some of the difficulties that were caused or contributed to by the committee, in that, for example, there was not sufficient clarity about what was sought or insufficient time was being allowed for compliance....

Ryan Report on the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Motion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: It simply means that the plaintiff is suing the wrong party in taking an action for damages against the State.

Ryan Report on the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Motion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Of course, for the State to accept liability in all such cases where it does not have a legal liability would be irresponsible in light of its duty to the taxpayer. A further consequence would be to distract from where that liability might lie. There have been some cases where my Department was made aware of allegations of abuse but did not take appropriate action. As a result, my...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the revised Stage 2B (Detailed Design) submission is currently being examined by the Department's Professional and Technical Unit. When this process is complete my Department will be in further contact with the Board of Management.

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (11 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the recognition of teacher qualifications is now a matter for the Teaching Council, the body with responsibility for establishing and maintaining standards in the teaching profession. I understand that they are currently examining a submission for recognition for a new Montessori award and that this process is near completion. I have no plans to establish a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers was included in my announcement in February of 43 major building projects to proceed to tender and construction. A stage submission (developed sketch design) for the project was recently considered by my Department and was returned to the design team in April with substantial comments which need to be addressed. My Department is now awaiting additional...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (11 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority - i.e. the Local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 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 Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school recently confirmed to the Department that it was unlikely to reach the enrolment level envisaged when they made the original application for additional temporary accommodation. The related issue of the replacement of play area that would have been occupied by that additional temporary accommodation will not now arise. The Department is continuing to work with the school authority...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The correspondence to which the Deputy refers has been received in my Department and it will be responded to shortly. With regard to the subject matter of the correspondence, my Department procured the property in question initially to act as a temporary home for a special school pending the delivery of a building project for that school and then to accommodate, on a permanent basis, the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (10 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department provided devolved funding in 2008 for an extension project at a school in the Youghal area. The progression of other projects in this area will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. Forward Planning Section of the Department is continuing the process of identifying the areas where significant additional...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (10 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that under the terms of Section 4 (1) of the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002, the Minister for Education & Science may, by order, provide for the insertion in the Schedule of any industrial school, reformatory school, orphanage, children's home, special school which was established for the purpose of providing education services to children with a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. 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 my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (10 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I presume the Deputy is referring to my Department's Free Fees Initiative scheme in which there is a three year residency clause as part of the eligibility criterion. Currently, under the terms of the Free Fees Initiative the Exchequer meets the tuition fees of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study. The main conditions are that students must be...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (10 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Economic and Financial Standing is one of the criteria laid down in the EU Procurement Directives for pre-selection of contractors tendering for building contracts. Contracting Authorities have an obligation to ensure that, as part of suitability assessment for placing on tender lists for projects, contractors have adequate economic and financial capacity. One of the key criteria for...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (10 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that the enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of the school concerned. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment in schools. Where a school refuses to enrol a pupil, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (10 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The superintendent who distributed English Paper 2 instead of English Paper 1, did not carry out any of the following documented procedures correctly – the checking of the label on the exam packet, the checking of the exam paper, the checking of each exam paper in the packet, and the sign off by 2 students that this was the correct paper for the session. This is in spite of the fact that...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (10 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports including applications for the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. Officials in my Department...