Results 4,201-4,220 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 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 such...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The position is that discussions are in train with the trustees and the administrators of the five older universities, including the one in question, and certain non-commercial semi-State bodies with a view to providing consistency and clarity for the future in terms of meeting the liabilities of the funded pension schemes. In that context, and provided all the schemes concerned agree, it is...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy in respect of counties Wexford, Dublin and Wicklow are given in the attached tabular statements. The details include major building projects either on site or approved to progress to tender and construction in 2009 where expenditure is expected in the current year and smaller projects approved for funding under the emergency works scheme so far this year....

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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. The various impacts at school level were included in the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information regarding the number of second level teachers on fixed term contracts as requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to her. Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill vacancies in an...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The second Schools PPP bundle, which consists of six schools including a new community college in Bantry, Co. Cork, was handed over to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) in May 2008. The NDFA advertised the bundle in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEC) on 20th May 2008. This tender competition is being procured using the competitive dialogue procedure as provided...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In the context of the implementation of the recommendations of Report No. 42 of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector, my Department sought details of remuneration being paid to senior staff from all relevant institutions. Details supplied by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in June 2008 included allowances to certain senior staff which had not been sanctioned. My Department...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 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 such...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (24 Feb 2009)

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

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The inquiry to which the Deputy refers was established in February 2006 by my predecessor as Minister for Education and Science. However, I wish again to draw the Deputy's attention to the fact that the inquiry is not centred on Ormonde College. Ormonde College is a unit offering a wide range of Post-Leaving Certificate Courses under the direction of Co Kilkenny Vocational Education...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension project. 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...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can assure the Deputy that supports are in place to enable schools both to help prevent bullying and to deal with cases that may arise. Responsibility for tackling bullying falls to the level of the individual school as it is at local level that an effective anti-bullying climate must be established. I am, however, anxious to support schools in tackling bullying and it is for that reason...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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. The various impacts at school level were included in the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that details were supplied to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) as stated in my reply of 9 November last. I understand that a reply will issue from the NCSE to the Deputy shortly.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is aware that concerns have been raised in relation to the financial management of the school in question. The patron of the school has recently advised my Department that he is taking immediate action to investigate the matter. In this regard he has advised the Department that he has sought a report on the school accounts from a firm of accountants. The outcome of the patron's...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A response to the letter to which the Deputy refers will issue shortly from my Department. With regard to the proposed project for the school to which the Deputy refers, officials from my Department recently met with the Patron's Representative and are awaiting a response to a number of issues raised with regard to the proposed site before it can be considered further by my Department. In...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 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 multiannual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The establishment of classes for mild general learning disability predates many of the developments in special education policy in recent years and we now have a system for providing schools with supports for children with high incidence special needs, including mild general learning disability (MGLD), through the General Allocation Model. All primary schools, including those in Co Mayo, were...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides a range of teaching and care supports for pupils with special educational needs in line with their assessed disability. Pupils with disabilities may be entitled to additional provision in school, either under the terms of the general allocation system of teaching supports if the assessment places the pupil in the high incidence disability...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Interviews for an additional post in my Department's visiting teacher service for the visually impaired, to serve Co. Mayo, have been completed and the post offered to a successful candidate. A decision by the candidate to accept the post, or otherwise, is imminent.