Results 4,061-4,080 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In the school year 2007-2008 there were 48 secondees to the Second Level Support Service, (SLSS) offering support across a wide range of subject areas in the post primary sector. This number reduced by one in the 2008-2009 school year. In 2009-2010 it is envisaged that there will be 53 secondees within the Second Level Support Service as per the following table. Overall across the various...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department received an application for emergency funding from the school in question. This application is currently under consideration and a decision will be reached very shortly. The school authorities will be notified of the outcome in due course.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 460 together. 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....

Written Answers — : (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: School authorities as the employers of teachers must act in accordance with my Department's rules and circulars and with legislation. Teachers are required to refrain from engaging in any outside employment which would adversely affect or interfere with their work as a teacher or with the day to day running of the school.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My officials recently conducted a technical assessment of a site identified for the school referred to by the Deputy and a report is currently being prepared. When a suitable site has been secured the further progression of this project will be considered in the context of the Department's School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability. These special classes which are to close pre-date the 2005 General Allocation Model of allocating...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is currently gathering information from the relevant bodies. This information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Advertising Regulations: Advertising Regulations (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Private companies are free to promote their business in accordance with accepted marketing practices. There are also accepted marketing standards, such as compliance with advertising regulations which guide, inform and control the relationship between the vendor and the potential customers. My Department recognises the sensitivities attached to the issue of promotion initiatives linking...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability. These special classes which are to close pre-date the 2005 General Allocation Model of allocating...

Written Answers — Ministerial Meetings: Ministerial Meetings (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: When I last had discussions with the group in question we agreed to have further meetings on a regular basis. A meeting is currently being arranged.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Following a survey of over 900 schools across the country, my Department has set up a database with details of their use of prefabricated accommodation. Information regarding rented prefabricated units supplied by schools as part of this exercise has been forwarded to the Deputy. Work is ongoing in my Department to update these records. The Deputy will be aware that demand for additional...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department at present. I will write to the Deputy regarding this matter in due course.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — i.e. the Local Authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 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. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 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 to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. Parents may also contact their...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 home tuition as an interim measure for children awaiting an educational placement. I understand that an application for home tuition for the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. In accordance with these rules each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. It is a matter for the school to employ teachers up to the limit of its...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — i.e. the Local Authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for large scale capital funding from the school to which he refers, which has been assigned a Band 2 rating under the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Forward Planning Section of the Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level for 2009 and onwards. Factors under consideration include population growth, demographic trends, current and projected enrolments, recent and planned housing developments and capacity of existing schools to...