Results 4,101-4,120 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced the launch of a process to develop a new national strategy for higher education. The process will be overseen by a high level steering group, chaired by economist Dr Colin Hunt and comprising national and international expertise including academic, business, community and student interests, as well as senior government officials. It is expected...

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Teachers Conciliation Council is the recognised forum for dealing with matters relating to pay and conditions of service of teachers. The parties to the forum include representatives of the managerial authorities of schools, the teacher unions and the Departments of Education and Science and Finance. Discussions in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy are due to commence shortly...

Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Student Support Bill concluded Second Stage in the Dáil on the 30th April 2008. A number of amendments are currently being considered, arising from a review of the Bill following the Second Stage debate and further consultations since publication. I hope to have these amendments finalised with a view to progressing to Committee Stage in the current Parliamentary session. The passage of...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students. The Higher Education Grants Scheme is administered by the local authorities. The other three schemes are administered by the Vocational Education Committees. In January each year my Department carries out a survey of the 66 local authorities and VECs in respect of the status of applications....

Written Answers — Student Councils: Student Councils (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Section 27 of the Education Act, 1998 provides that students of a post-primary school may establish a student council and that Boards of Management in schools shall facilitate and give all reasonable assistance to student councils. My Department understands that student councils have been established in the majority of post-primary schools and that the remaining schools are in the process of...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I would like to assure the Deputy that my Department has been very aware of the issues raised in relation to the adjustments to pay due to certain part-time teachers under the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act, 2001 and has worked closely with the school management bodies and teacher unions to ensure that the legislation is implemented and applied to teachers in a fair and...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Almost €4.5bn has been allocated to the school building programme under the current National Development Plan (2007-2013). Value for money is a key criterion in the implementation of the school building programme and competitive tendering, in line with public procurement procedures, ensures that this is achieved. As I have indicated publicly, the current decline in activity in the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Forward Planning Section of my Department is continuing the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary levels 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...

Written Answers — Public Service Pension Levy: Public Service Pension Levy (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The public service pensions-related deduction applies to public servants working in public service bodies who contribute to a pension scheme, or who receive a payment in lieu of such a contribution. Those secretaries and caretakers who are members of a public service contributory pension scheme will be affected by the measure. However, employees who do not contribute to a pension scheme...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Access to higher education for people with disabilities has increased in recent years. It is estimated that 4.2% of all new entrants to higher education have one or more disabilities [1]. While the majority of applicants to higher education with a disability receive an offer for entry to higher education through the normal CAO route and do not require any points concessions, it is important...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Táim tar éis moladh na Comhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta a fháil maidir le himpleachtaí an chinnidh na marcanna don bhéaltriail i nGaeilge insna scrúduithe teastais a mhéadú go dtí 40% do na hiontrálaithe nua uile a thosaigh a gcuid iarbhunscolaíochta i 2007. Ag leibhéal an Teastais Shóisearaigh, níl athruithe sa siollabas molta os rud é go gcuireann an clár...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The schools referred to by the Deputy make up the first bundle of schools to be procured under my Department's current Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme. Macquarie Partnership for Ireland (MPFI) has been selected as the preferred tenderer for the provision of this Bundle. The National Development Finance Agency, who are responsible for the procurement phase, has almost finalised all...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations, making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination and issuing the results of examinations. In view of this, I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the State Examinations Commission for direct...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware the curriculum in schools is devised on the basis that ICT is not a subject but rather a tool to be integrated into the teaching and learning of all subjects. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has developed an ICT framework which sets out a structured approach to ICT in curriculum and assessment. The Framework sets out the types of learning...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The savings accruing from the projects that are being re-tendered under the new form of contracts for public capital projects to get better value for money will be used to fund other projects. As the Deputy will be aware, I have made a number of announcements in recent months regarding major projects to proceed to tender and ultimately construction. These announcements included 25 major...

Written Answers — Public Service Pension Levy: Public Service Pension Levy (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is estimated that net expenditure on the Education & Science Vote will be reduced by €331m as a result of the introduction of the Pension Levy on 1 March, 2009.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. Following a survey of over 900 schools across the country my Department has set up a database giving details regarding their use of prefabricated accommodation. The information gathered does not specify whether the accommodation in individual schools is entirely made up of temporary buildings. The Deputy will be aware that...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The OECD PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) 2006 survey of 15 years olds across 40 countries showed that Ireland's mean score in mathematics was not significantly different from the OECD average. We ranked 16th of 30 OECD countries and 22nd of 57 countries. There were fewer lower achievers and higher achievers than the OECD average, with the majority of pupils scoring in...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Clustering arrangements exist within the primary system for the sharing, in certain instances, of specific resources such as resource teaching posts and also rural coordinator support. While there are currently no formal arrangements for the sharing of general resources or facilities it is open to schools to enter into local arrangements themselves e.g. in relation to pooling of existing...