Results 4,081-4,100 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy in being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible. As consultancy data is compiled in my Department on a quarterly basis, it will not be possible to provide details of consultancy firms engaged in early 2009 until data relating to the first quarter has been compiled. The relevant details in relation to the first quarter of 2009 will be...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: VECs employ and pay their own staff and, accordingly, my Department does not have available to it a breakdown of the numbers of staff in the categories requested by the Deputy. VECs recruit their own staff, within approved limits. The Deputy will be aware that all departments and state agencies must reduce their payroll bill in 2009 in line with the requirements set by the Government. In 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 predate the 2005 General Allocation Model of allocating...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is awaiting the appointment of a Design Team. 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 competing demands on the capital...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that County Dublin VEC have agreed to dispose of the site to the Department under the terms of a 99 year lease. The Department is waiting the legal documents in relation to same from the VEC. In light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of the project at this time.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no immediate plans to acquire the land in question. The acquisition of the site, if required, will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: It is my Department's intention to increase capacity at the school to which the Deputy refers to 1,000 pupil places. 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 — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers shares a campus with another school. It is my Department's intention to provide each of these schools with 20 classrooms. 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...

Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am currently considering a number of issues relating to the patronage of second-level schools and the matter raised by the Deputy will be considered in this context. I hope to have this process concluded as quickly as possible.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 471 to 484, inclusive, together. 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...

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. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE has advised...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Tógfaigh mé Ceisteanna 11 agus 12 le chéile. I should explain that a review of the procedures for the establishment of new primary schools is being undertaken by the Commission on School Accommodation. A Technical Working Group, under the direction of the Chairman of the Commission, has been established to undertake a full review of the criteria and procedures for the recognition of new...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Forward Planning Section of my Department is currently identifying areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level for 2009 and onwards. This involves detailed consideration of factors such as population growth, demographic trends, current and projected enrolments, recent and planned housing developments and the capacity of existing...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 Feb 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. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The duties and responsibilities of my Department require attendance by Ministers and officials at a range of meetings and events, in Ireland and overseas, which sometimes necessitate overnight stays in hotels. Typically, the types of event which necessitate an overnight stay include meetings, conferences and training and development events in Ireland, EU meetings as well as those of...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 52, 53 and 58 together. There will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of my Department's decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers to special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability. The Deputies will be aware that...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that there has been no change in the criteria which governs the appointment of additional resource/learning support teachers, special needs assistants or home tuition. The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school...

Written Answers — Fee-Paying Schools: Fee-Paying Schools (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has not received any recent approaches, formal or informal, from any fee-paying school wishing to opt into the free education scheme. A school did consider joining the free education scheme in 2004, but subsequently withdrew its application. It is open to any fee-paying school to apply to join the free education scheme. Any applications received will receive due consideration...

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have already commented publicly in relation to this matter. I have made the point that the patronage of Catholic schools in a diocese rests ex officio with the person who is Bishop of that diocese at any particular point in time. In response to media queries as to whether I considered that the Bishop concerned should resign from his office I expressed that it was a matter for the Bishop...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the terms of the Indemnity Agreement reached with the Religious Congregations on the 5th June, 2002, the Congregations agreed to make a contribution of €128 million towards the cost of the Redress Scheme. This sum was broken down as follows: Property Transfers — €76.86m; Cash Contribution — €41.14m; Provision of Counselling Services — €10.00m. In actual terms, whilst the...