Results 3,021-3,040 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The Primary Staffing Appeal Board met on 14th May 2009 to consider staffing appeals for the 2009/2010 school year. The Board will hold its second meeting on Thursday next 11 June, 2009. Following this meeting I will arrange for the officials in my Department to forward the details requested by the Deputy in respect of the outcome of the appeals heard at both meetings.

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 — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 657 and 658 together. The details sought by the Deputy relating to schools from the area in question whose applications were approved for funding and those that were unsuccessful under the current Summer Works Scheme are contained in the following tabular statements. Unsuccessful applications generally fall into two categories: - Invalid applications -...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Information in relation to average class size and pupil teacher ratio is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The details for the current school year (2008/2009) are currently being compiled by my Department and the final outcome will be available later in the summer. The average class size in North Tipperary in 2007/2008 was 23.2. Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all primary...

Written Answers — Strategic Innovation Fund: Strategic Innovation Fund (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) was established in 2006 with a major emphasis on promoting inter-institutional collaboration in bringing about substantial change and quality improvement within the Irish higher education system. Projects approved under the Fund are aimed at institutional reform, enhancing teaching and learning, improving access and life long learning and enabling the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. I can inform the Deputy that the Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. I recently met with a deputation from the school to discuss its accommodation needs and I am aware that the Patron has donated a site for the provision of a new school building. The deputation was advised that the Forward Planning Section of my Department is...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The new post primary school project in County Westmeath referred to by the Deputy is included in the list of seven schools which I approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership in December 2008. This Bundle is in the pre procurement stage. Detailed output specifications and Public Sector Benchmark are being prepared and outline local...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, Library staff, like other public servants in the Education Sector, other than teachers and SNAs, are subject to the public sector recruitment moratorium at the current time. My Department also funds the various other literacy and numeracy supports for second level schools through the JCSP Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. These strategies encourage schools to adopt a...

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 (SENO) for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required. My Department has no...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the terms of my Departments Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees of eligible students who are attending approved undergraduate courses in the State. One of the main conditions of the scheme is that students must be first-time undergraduates. Therefore where a student already holds an undergraduate qualification, regardless of when obtained, they are not...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that a letter dated 13th May from the Principal Teacher of the school in question relating to additional funding has been received in my Department. As part of the expansion of the Small Schools Scheme, a grant was sanctioned in March 2007 under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme to enable the management authority of the school to build 3 permanent classrooms....

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The application procedures for entry to third level undergraduate courses including the closing dates applicable to different classifications of applicant are determined by the individual third level institutions. While the initial CAO closing date is 1 February, late applications are accepted up to 1 May and 5,945 such applications were received this year, an increase of 51% on 2008. On 2...

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 special needs assistants. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. All schools have...

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 — Third Level Charges: Third Level Charges (9 Jun 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The online application fee for post graduate courses varies between universities and is currently in the range of €35.00 to €37.50. In general the fee charged will cover applications for between 3 and 5 programmes of study within an individual institution. Applicant suitability for the majority of postgraduate courses is generally assessed on the applicants' own merits, and may include...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has no record of an application for capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. Officials from my Department are contacting the school authority to discuss this matter further with them. I should point out that maintenance is a matter for the school authority. To assist primary schools with the maintenance of their buildings, my Department issues them with an...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that the properties referred to are two of the properties included in the Indemnity Agreement. The cost to the State of the transfer of these properties are in the main legal costs and these costs are not met directly by the Department of Education and Science. Such costs are met by the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO).

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

Batt O'Keeffe: As I previously advised the Deputy, 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...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Officials in my Department have met on a regular basis with the relevant groups in relation to the commitment in the current programme for Government to long-term funding for the centres that are in the ABA pilot scheme subject to agreement with my Department on standards that will enable them to be supported as primary schools for children with autism. I am pleased to advise that broad...