Results 3,641-3,660 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (8 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Teachers will be fully supported to implement the reforms in Mathematics in second level schools. The Project Maths initiative is designed to encourage better understanding of maths, to reinforce the practical relevance of maths to everyday life, and to ensure better continuity between primary and second level, and junior and senior cycle. It is being led by the National Council for...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (8 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 78 together. Dance is included in the strands in the Physical Education curriculum in primary and post primary schools. In addition, students may choose dance as one of the courses available within the Arts component of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme (LCA). The LCA is taken by some 7% of the student cohort and a maximum of four credits from...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy in todays question and in Priority Question No. 36 of 25 March 2009 and Parliamentary Question No. 1079 of 24 March 2009 regarding the rental costs of prefabricated buildings is given in the following tabular statement. The Deputy should note that the schools identified with asterisks denote total cumulative rental costs in excess of €100,000. Those...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department, like all Departments, was instructed that no further contractual commitments in respect of Exchequer capital expenditure could be entered into without the approval of the Department of Finance. The Department of Finance requests on a quarterly basis a composite application for those capital expenditure items that my Department wishes to enter into. The first such application...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 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. 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...

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is otherwise known as the Wicklow Times.

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to share my time with the Ministers of State from my Department, Deputies Jimmy Devins and Barry Andrews. The scale of the challenges we face and the speed at which the economic environment has changed make this budget one of critical importance to our country's future well-being. As the Minister for Finance pointed out yesterday, there is limited scope for additional expenditure...

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: If Deputy Broughan were here in time he would have heard that a dramatic improvement has been made in the number of people who will be offered meaningful programmes which will provide a bridge for those people who have the ability to avail of them to progress to full-time education, degree courses, diplomas or certificates.

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Outstanding progress has been made. There were already 51,000 and we are putting together another 24,000. The co-operation I am getting from the institutes of technology, the VECs and FÁS has been outstanding and I commend their co-operation.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is one of 10 projects announced in January to be re-tendered with a view to going on site as soon as possible. For this project to go to construction it needs to be re-tendered under the new Department of Finance form of contract for public capital projects. The prequalification advertisement has recently been published inviting expressions of interest....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy got a new system built accommodation in 2008 which is suitable for its current needs. My Department acquired the site for the school and has provided funding of approximately €1.2 million including building costs,design team fees and furniture and equipment.

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that, as the persons in question have appealed the decision previously made by the High Court in relation to a case taken by them against the Minister for Education & Science to the Supreme Court, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the case or to meet with them at the present time.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received an appeal from the candidate referred to by the Deputy which is currently under review and it is anticipated a reply will issue to the student shortly.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has requested Fingal County Council to acquire a permanent site for the school in question under the Fingal Memorandum Agreement. The acquisition of the site will be dependant on the successful outcome of negotiations held by the local authority and will also need to be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to tender and construction, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. In light of current competing...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A major capital project for the School to which the Deputy refers is currently an early stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to tender and construction, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. In light of current...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A project for the school to which the Deputy refers has been approved for the appointment of a Design Team. This process is under way and is expected to be completed shortly.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A major capital project for the School to which the Deputy refers is currently an early stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to tender and construction, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. In light of current...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am advised that my Department is in ongoing discussions with the CSSO in order to progress the acquisition of this site. The Deputy will appreciate that due to the commercial sensitivity attaching to the site acquisition process, I am not in a position to elaborate further at this point in time. The further progression of the acquisition of the site in question will also need to be...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is a new 24 classroom primary school plus ancillary accommodation. Following an initial pre-qualification process, tenders were invited and six valid tenders were returned. The valid tenders are currently being examined and, while this process is ongoing, it is not appropriate to provide any further detail concerning the tenders. Subject to the...