Results 2,981-3,000 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department does not provide specific grants to schools for swimming. Schools, such as that referred to by the Deputy, have flexibility to prioritise their needs and to use their general capitation funding to support the implementation of the curriculum, including Physical Education. Primary school capitation grants have been increased substantially in recent years. The primary school...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 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 schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE will undertake...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The details sought by the Deputy relating to schools in the Dublin 15 area whose applications were approved for funding under the current Summer Works Scheme are included in a tabular statement relating to the complete Fingal Area. It would not be appropriate at this stage to make public the level of funding approved for schools as to do so might compromise the tendering process. Details of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is at an early stage of Architectural Planning. As the Deputy will be aware, in February, I announced details of 43 major building projects to proceed to tender and construction and 25 high priority projects to commence architectural planning. The project to which the Deputy refers was not included in this announcement. Therefore the project is...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The standard size of a classroom being delivered for primary schools, whether through the generic repeat design (GRD) concept or traditional design, at primary level is 80 sq metres, including wet area, w/c's, storage and cloakroom facilities. 80 sq. metres is considered to be the optimum size of classroom and was determined by studies carried out by my Department and in line with...

Written Answers — Special Education Needs: Special Education Needs (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the general allocation model was introduced in primary schools in September 2005 to ensure that each school has learning support/resource teaching support available to meet the needs of children with high incidence special educational needs including children with mild general learning disabilities. When the model commenced, a commitment was given to carry out a...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Historically the State funds chaplains in Community and Comprehensive schools and designated Community Colleges under the VEC. It does so in accordance with agreements reached with Church Authorities at the time of first establishment of those types of schools and reflected in the Deed of Trust for Community Schools and the Model Agreement for Community Colleges. The relevant religious...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that an application for an extension/refurbishment was received from the school to which he refers. The application was assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects by my Department and assigned a Band rating of 2.4. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, from...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to assure the Deputy that there will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to support from a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability. Pupils with a mild general learning disability have, and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department procured the premises to which the Deputy refers 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 school to which the Deputy refers. The building project for the special school is currently in the early stages of architectural planning. Earlier this year I...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to other diary commitments, I will not be in a position to meet with this delegation for several weeks but I have asked officials in my Department to contact the school directly to arrange a meeting at official level in relation to the project.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has sanctioned the purchase of a Laptop, Scanner and Printer for the use of the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The school was advised of this by letter issued by my Department on the 28th May 2009 last. Payment will be made to the school on submission of the relevant Receipts accompanied by a completed Equipment Purchase Form.

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has not received any application from a Patron to open a school in the area referred to by the Deputy. 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,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school to which the Deputy refers 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. In light of...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (9 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 617 to 622, inclusive, together. A total of 12 companies tendered for the bundle of schools (which included the two primary schools for Gorey) under the rapid delivery programme in 2008. Information on the tender prices of the unsuccessful tenders is commercially sensitive and it would be inappropriate of me to release such information as it could undermine...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school in question has been approved for funding under the Emergency Works Grant scheme to carry out major roof works to the school building. The approval letter issued to the school management on 5th May 2009.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Forward Planning Section of the Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level over coming 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputies refer was included in my announcement on 12 February of 43 major building projects to proceed to tender and construction during 2009. Representatives from the board of management and the design team of the school attended a briefing in my Department's offices in Tullamore on 26 March at which they were apprised of the next steps necessary to progress the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Officials in my Department have been in touch with the Patron and the school authorities recently. I can confirm that detailed designs for the school to which the Deputy refers are finalised and a pre-planning meeting will take place this week with my officials, the school authorities and the Planners in Cork County Council. The Department expects to be ready to lodge planning permission in...