Results 4,261-4,280 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced 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 current...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision to approve job-sharing and career break applications is a matter for the authorities of the employing school. In the case of schools that have over-quota teachers, vacancies do not arise as a result of teachers approved for job-sharing or career break. This position is no different from that pertaining in previous years. In these schools that have over-quota teachers,...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The terms of the career break and job sharing schemes for teachers remain unchanged. The decision to approve an application under either of these schemes is a matter for the authorities of the employing school. In schools that have over-quota teachers, applications for job-sharing and a career break may be considered by the authorities of the schools concerned in the normal way. Because the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As regards Civil Servants working in my Department all starting pay on promotion/appointment are subject to the relevant Department of Finance circulars and applicable salary scales which take on board benchmarking recommendations and recommendations from the Review Body on Higher Remuneration. I can confirm that there are no Civil Servants with personal rates in excess of recommended...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (19 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As part of the expansion of the Small Schools Scheme, a grant was sanctioned to enable the school in question to extend and modernise the existing school building. My Department approved a further grant in December 2008 to cover additional costs associated with the installation of a waste water treatment system and extra ground works. Applications submitted for the deferred Summer Works...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Teacher allocations to all VEC schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. In accordance with these rules each VEC is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (19 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will appreciate that due to commercial sensitivities in relation to site acquisitions generally my Department is not in a position to provide costings associated with specific sites.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As part of the expansion of the Small Schools Scheme a grant was allocated to this school to enable the management authority to build a new three classroom school. Additional funding was subsequently provided for unavoidable extra costs relating to planning conditions and ground works and to provide a fourth classroom. The school has now applied for a further increase in funding under the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 to 283, inclusive, together. The stages of architectural planning referred to by the Deputy arise from my Department's design team procedures for the procurement of major capital projects. These are necessary to comply with Department of Finance guidelines which require that capital projects be fully designed prior to going to tender. They also ensure...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (18 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved for a grant of €13,000 under the Outdoor Play measure, €3,000 under the ICT Equipment measure and €110,000 under the Parent Room and Library combined measure of the Dormant Accounts Fund for Educational Disadvantage. The grant of €13,000 for Outdoor Play facilities was paid in full on 30 January 2008 and the grant of €3,000 for ICT...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have assumed that the Deputy is referring to the Value for Money and Policy Review of the Special Needs Assistant scheme being undertaken by my Department. The Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative is part of a framework introduced to secure improved value for money from public expenditure. The objectives of the review are to analyse Exchequer spending in a systematic manner and to...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Feb 2009)

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

Written Answers — Official Travel: Official Travel (18 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to him shortly.

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (18 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received a request for a change of status from the school referred to by the Deputy. The views of the Patron and the other schools in the area have been sought and will be taken into account in considering this application. My Department will revert to the school in due course.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 252, 255 and 258 together. I wish to advise the deputies that all primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to enable them support pupils with high incidence special educational needs including mild general learning disability (MGLD). All primary schools were given these additional teaching resources under the General Allocation...

Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (18 Feb 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.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the parent's fears, as outlined in his letter, are unfounded. I note from the parent's letter that the pupil was not attending a special class and was mainstreamed with access to the school's learning support/resource teacher and that the pupil thrived with this level of support. Pupils, such as the pupil in question, will continue to receive...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 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 (18 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 expenditure, could not be totally spared. The various impacts at...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (18 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The following is a list of bodies under the aegis of my Department that were classified as a "regulatory body" in the report entitled "Bodies in Ireland with Regulatory Powers" which was produced in 2007. A "regulatory body" is defined as one that has functions in at least two of the following three areas of activities: The formulation of goals; the making of rules and/or the setting of...