Results 3,001-3,020 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is currently considering a number of broad policy issues relating to the recognition process for second level schools. To facilitate full consideration of all of the issues involved, my Department has sought legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General in relation to the system of patronage at second level. Officials from my Department have recently met with their...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 628 and 639 together. The Deputy will be aware that the home tuition scheme provides a grant to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting an educational placement and...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The proposed building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently awaiting the appointment of a Design Team. In accordance with the published prioritisation criteria of my Department, the project has a Band 1 rating. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 631 and 655 together. The building project for the school referred to by the Deputies 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...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers received an offer of second hand temporary accommodation. However, on investigation of the offer further by the school, it was discovered that substantial ancillary charges including, refurbishment costs, consultants' fees, re-location of the accommodation, planning permission etc., would have to be paid by the school authorities. As there were no...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is one of ten projects announced in January to be re-tendered with a view to going on site as soon as possible. My Department has reviewed the Stage 2b (detailed design) submission from the Design Team, and identified a number of issues to be addressed. A meeting was subsequently held with the school authorities and their Design Team to discuss their...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 635 to 638, inclusive, together. My Department estimates that approximately â'¬48m will be spent this year on the rental of school accommodation. The funding is to cover costs relating to continuing existing rentals and any new approvals for the next school year. It is too early at this stage to provide details of new school approvals for the coming year....

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is at an early stage of Architectural Planning and the school in question has recently been authorised to progress this project to Stage 2A - Developed Sketch Scheme. As an interim measure, to alleviate pressure on the school to which the deputy refers, my Department has approved the use of existing temporary accommodation by the school on the site of...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that I have been anxious to develop this Centre to provide for the promotion of excellence in the development and harmonisation of education and associated services for children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders. A lot has been achieved already in collaboration with the Department of Education, Northern Ireland, with the Centre currently delivering...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: In terms of the position at individual primary school level the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by my Department is the pupil enrolment at 30 September of the previous school year. The annual process of seeking this enrolment data from schools takes place in the autumn of each year and enables the commencement of the processes by which teaching resources are...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 643 and 644 together. I wish to advise the Deputy 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...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department received a written request on 28 May 2009 from the person in question for an estimate of pension benefits should she decide to retire at this time. A detailed written response issued to the person on 4 June 2009.

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: People who were in foster care as children were covered by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act, 2000 and had access to both the Investigative and Confidential Committees of the Commission. During the passage of the legislation governing the establishment of the Redress Scheme (Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002) through both Houses, the issue of including children who were...

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), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports including the approval of special classes for autism. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support....

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department did consider the inclusion of this institution on the Schedule to the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002. This particular institution, as with many others listed, did not operate under the jurisdiction of my Department and, consequently, it was necessary for officials at my Department to consult with other Government Departments to...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received correspondence from the persons to whom the Deputy refers. The building project for the above school is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. I met with a deputation from the school last October when the school's situation was fully outlined. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have asked officials at my Department to compile the information requested and furnish it to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (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 — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that Section 8 (1) of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides that all applications should be made to the Board within 3 years of the establishment date. Consequently, the closing date for receipt of applications expired on 15th December 2005. Significant public notice and advertisement was given of this date. However, there is provision under...