Results 3,441-3,460 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Opposition may not have intended to prey on the vulnerabilities of parents of pupils with or without special educational needs.

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: However, this is the result. I take this opportunity to reassure parents that teachers and schools are working on a daily basis to deliver an excellent education to their children. These teachers should be congratulated on the difference they make in these children's lives. For students with special educational needs, placement in mainstream education provides increased opportunities to...

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There is a tendency for students with special educational needs to be more motivated and work harder in the inclusive classroom. An inclusive setting can expand a student's personal interests and knowledge of the world to prepare him or her for better post-school experiences and adulthood. For students without special educational needs, inclusion provides many benefits. It helps them to...

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Experience of inclusive education can help everyone in the school community to prepare for a future inclusive society. All students can benefit from having two teachers in the classroom during co-operative teaching. Teachers are more apt to break instruction into finer parts, repeat directions, coach students in the use of learning strategies and offer individualised support when a student...

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I note that a concern of the Opposition is that my Department did not consult with the NCSE and all the partners in this decision. The reality is that the rules governing the retention of such posts have been in existence since 1999 and have been operational since that time.

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: On its introduction in 2005, the Department undertook to carry out a review of the general allocation model after three years of operation. This review is now under way and is expected to be completed in 2009. As part of the review, the Department of Education and Science consulted the relevant partners in education. I am pleased to be able to advise the House that the general allocation...

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I remind the House of what was available for children with special educational needs in 1997. There was no automatic entitlement to either teaching or care supports; provision for children with special needs in mainstream schools was virtually non-existent; and not all schools had resource or learning support teachers.

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There were only 252 special needs assistants in total, with virtually all of these employed in special schools, and if a child had any significant educational or care need, parents had no choice but to enrol him or her in special schools where the child would have access to exceptional teachers and care staff but little opportunity to mix with other children from the community. In 1998, the...

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Whereas ten years ago, most parents of children with significant special education or care needs had no choice but to send them to a special school, now they have three distinct choices available to them. Their child can either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional supports as required; if the child has a low incidence special need, he or she can attend a special...

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (6 May 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will finish up, although I wanted to deal with the EPSEN Act. The speech will be recorded in the records of the House. We will continue to expand the educational-psychological service so that every school in the country will have a direct service for NEPS.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In accordance with the Department's Financial Procedures recoupments are paid to the Local Authorities in three instalments December, March/April and May/June. The Local Authority referred to by the Deputy issued payment to students on 27th April 2009. All claims submitted to date to the Department in respect of the Higher Education Maintenance Grant have been paid.

Written Answers — Ministerial Meetings: Ministerial Meetings (30 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, while in Co. Mayo recently I visited a number of schools and met with a number of delegations. The names of the delegations are listed below. As the Deputy knows, such meetings provide the representatives of various groups and organisations to discuss their particular issues and concerns with me. They also provide me with the opportunity to outline the context...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Apr 2009)

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

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (30 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to him when available.

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (30 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to reports commissioned by my Department is being compiled and will be forwarded to him when available.

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (30 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received an application for permanent recognition from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority in due course.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (30 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is progressing with the relocation of the school in question to an alternative site for the academic year beginning September 2009. Officials in my Department are liaising with the school authorities and other interested parties in this regard. On the broader development of the Grangegorman campus, the Grangegorman Development Agency has submitted a revised draft strategic plan...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department recently wrote to Dublin City Council advising them of the design option favoured by the GAA club following a meeting with my Department and requested the Local Authority to consider a technical assessment of the site incorporating the views of the GAA. A response is awaited.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Currently my Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students. These are the Higher Education Grants Scheme, the Vocational Education Committees' Scholarships Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees and the Maintenance Grants Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) Courses. The Higher Education Grant...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for such assistance and where there...