Results 3,101-3,120 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Seanad: Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements (27 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Do not take that tone.

Seanad: Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements (27 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I ask the Senator to maintain a proper tone concerning what is a very difficult situation for all of us.

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions and my Department does not have any function in their day to day operational affairs or in relation to decisions concerning course provision. The Institutes receive a block grant from the Higher Education Authority and it is a matter for each institution to determine how this is allocated internally across different academic programmes....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an early stage of architectural planning. I recently met with the school authorities and discussed with them the current status of their project. My Department will shortly be in contact with the school authority regarding the next stage of the project.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the review of all Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts in primary, special and post-primary schools by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). I wish to advise the Deputy that the NCSE has been requested by my Department to arrange for its Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) to review SNA allocations in all schools with a view to...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department provides funding for 38 projects in Local Drugs Task Force areas. The projects are located in very disadvantaged areas and, through a variety of programmes and activities, seek to encourage susceptible young people not to engage in drug-taking. Expenditure on these projects for the past three years is as follows: 2006 - €3,316,743 2007 - €3,621,000 2008 - €3,651,262...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 May 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. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The responsibility also includes identifying...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department has received a major capital application from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 1.1. The building project is awaiting the appointment of a Design Team. The progression of all large scale building...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has a general policy of encouraging the use of school facilities by community and other groups where this is possible and where appropriate arrangements are made to reimburse the school for any additional expenditure incurred by the school associated with such usage (heating, lighting, caretaking, insurance, etc). However, any proposal for the use of school facilities outside...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. The project will provide for a 16 classroom extension and refurbishment of the existing school. A Stage 2A submission (Developed Sketch Scheme) was received by my Department in April 2009. My Department will revert to the school when the submission has been examined. The...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 May 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. However, in light...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced 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...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 May 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. Health staff may make...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the relevant local authority or VEC. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by the relevant Local Authority or VEC and remains of the view that the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early 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 — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to advise that the patron and management authority of the schools referred to by he Deputy have agreed to amalgamate from 1 Sept 2009 forming a new school called the Holy Child National School. The Department has approved the amalgamation and is currently in the process of issuing a formal letter of approval to the school Patron and Board of Management.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 to provide early intervention for pre-school children...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers was granted provisional recognition for a period of one year from September 2008 subject to compliance with a number of terms and conditions. In general, to be considered for permanent recognition a school must make an application stating that they have met the Criteria for Recognition of New Primary Schools, which include the requirement to follow the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has made application for capital funding for an extension to their school. The project has been assigned a band rating of 2.2. The next step is the appointment of a design team. The Department is currently examining a proposal from this school and will be in contact with the school shortly in this regard. The progression of all large scale building...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill vacancies in an individual school is a matter for the Board of Management of the school concerned. Under present arrangements a teacher on maternity leave is replaced by a substitute teacher recruited by the Board of Management.