Results 3,201-3,220 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department has received a major capital application from the school to which he refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 2.2. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, from initial design stage through...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (19 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Institutes of Technology are autonomous statutory bodies. Under the terms of the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006, the governance and day-to-day management of the institutions, including procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying and harassment, are matters for which the Governing Bodies and the management of the relevant institutions are responsible. As employers all...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 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 — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. Decisions were made in order to control expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long term. In this respect my Department, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be entirely spared, and I acknowledge the impact of funding restrictions...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. This project was not included in my announcement of projects to progress this year which I made in February. Therefore it is unlikely it will be progressed in 2009. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, it is my Department's intention to provide the school in question with a new building. In this regard, agreement has been reached to provide the new building on a V.E.C. owned site. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: With regard to study abroad, clause 7.3 of the Higher Education Grant Scheme states : " Where grantholders as part of their approved course, are required to attend foreign university courses for a period of up to one year, a maintenance grant may continue to be paid where the period abroad does not affect the normal duration of the approved course". The candidate referred to by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department has received an application for major capital works, for the provision of a new school building, from the school to which he refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 2.2. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the...

Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (19 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Report of the Advisory Committee on Third-Level Student Support which was chaired by Dónal de Buitléir was published in February, 1995 and included a number of recommendations, some of which have already been implemented. The issue of introducing an assessment of capital assets for the purposes of determining eligibility for student grants was among the issues considered and...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I had no plans to introduce a junior certificate version of either the leaving certificate vocational or applied programmes. The Leaving Certificate Applied, introduced in 1995, is a self-contained Leaving Certificate programme which is pre-vocational by nature and is designed for those students who do not wish to proceed directly to higher education or for those for whom the established...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the statement to which the Deputy refers was made at the Joint Committee by Sr. Eileen Randles from the Loreto Education Trust. As the record of that discussion shows Sr. Eileen was seeking to address what she termed "a simplistic sound bite" in the media about why taxpayers should pay for the salaries of teachers in fee charging second level schools. Sr. Eileen went...

Written Answers — School Patrons: School Patrons (14 May 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. At this stage, the advice has not yet been received....

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Community National School model is proceeding on the basis of very clearly stated principles in respect of the availability of religious education during the school day, in conformity with the wishes of parents. Approaches to the delivery of religious education in line with these principles are being developed on an action research basis over the course of the pilot phase. The...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The amalgamation of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) and the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) was announced as part of the Government's programme for the rationalisation of agencies. The new organisation will also take responsibility for the external quality assurance review of the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 20 together. The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years, with the appointment of 6,000 extra teachers in the primary sector alone since 2002. In considering the need to provide extra resource and other teachers to schools in recent years, the Government could have decided to make children...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The review of schools and special classes was commenced by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2007 and involves wider consultation with schools and Education partners selected by the NCSE. It is expected that the review will be completed in 2009 and I look forward to receiving the report from the NCSE.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have consistently said that the 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure could not be totally spared, and I acknowledge the...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Grangegorman Development Agency submitted a draft Strategic Plan and Budget to my Department in October 2008 as provided in Section 12 (h) of the Act. Copies of the plan and Budget were also forwarded to the Minister for Health & Children for her consideration. Following receipt of the Strategic Plan plan, my officials in consultation with the Higher Education Authority commenced an...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have consistently said that the 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure could not be totally spared. The various impacts at...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to reassure the Deputy that I, along with my colleagues in Government, recognise the importance of ensuring that students from a Protestant background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos. The Deputy will be aware that I have met with representatives of both the Church of Ireland Board of Education and the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland to discuss the funding...