Results 4,361-4,380 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied for an extension/refurbishment 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 current competing demands on the...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department 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 current competing demands on the...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: It is the intention of my Department to provide the school to which he refers with a new building on a greenfield site. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from site acquisition and initial design stage through to the construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme....
- Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (10 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 — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The cost of the provision of in-service in 2008 was â¬35.6 million. This is broken down as support service, course and participant costs. Support was provided across a range of areas including DEIS, Special Needs and the Primary and Post Primary Curriculum. The cost of providing substitution cover for in service in 2008 was â¬5.38m for primary schools and â¬5.2m for post primary schools,...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The proposed building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is 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 multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (10 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 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 and refurbishment project. The project is at the early stages of architectural planning. The progression of all major building projects, including this project, from initial design through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual...
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy applied for funding from my Department to carry out works to the roof of the school building. Funding for the project was approved by letter issued to the school on 16 January 2009. The Deputy will understand that it would not be appropriate for me to give details of the amount approved for the works at this stage, as it might compromise the tender...
- Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: On foot of Circular 0138/2006, primary schools are implementation standardised testing in English Reading and Mathematics at two stages, at the end of first class/beginning of second class, and at the end of fourth class/beginning of fifth class since 2007. The results of these tests are held at school level and are available for inspection. Standardised testing is used as one of a range of...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Under the terms of the maintenance grants scheme grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, means and previous academic attainment. The Nationality requirement as set out in the 2008 Grant schemes states: Candidates must: hold E.U. Nationality; or have Official Refugee Status; or have been...
- Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 592 to 594, inclusive, together. 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...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the school to which he refers is temporarily located in its current premises. However, given the city centre location of the school, there has been considerable difficulty in acquiring a suitable site or an alternative building as a long term location for the school. The progression of all applications for large scale capital investment, including the application...
- Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 596 to 598, inclusive, together. An amount of â¬6.8 million which includes the estimated cost of free tuition fees has been provided in the 2009 estimates for the National College of Ireland (NCI). This provision is in line with the 2008 outturn when the expected additional income to the NCI from the increase in the third level student services charge is...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: As a result of the 2009 Budget provisions for Education, arising from current economic challenges, and following subsequent proposals from the management bodies of primary schools, new arrangements were put in place for substitution cover for uncertified sick leave for teachers in primary schools. The new arrangements became effective from the 1st January 2009 and will remain in place for the...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Generic Repeat Design (GRD) buildings provide the full range of classroom and ancillary accommodation that is achieved using the traditional competitive procurement route. GRD buildings facilitate speedier delivery of projects, save on design fees and are designed to allow for easy extension if required at a later stage. In relation to a GP room an area of 195 sq. m is provided plus servery,...
- Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 601 to 604, inclusive, together. There are 33 vocational education committees (VECs) established under the Vocational Education Acts, 1930 to 2001. Each VEC is a statutory body with its own corporate status. The functions and responsibilities of the VECs, including their requirements to report to the Minister for Education and Science, are defined in the...
- Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: This Government's continued prioritisation of education over the last 11 years is evidenced from our investment in 2009 of â¬9.6 billion â over treble what it was in 1997. The increase of â¬302m in the Education budget for 2009 is therefore a real achievement in the current economic climate. Education is one of only three Government Departments to have increased funding in 2009. The...
- Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Financial allocations are made to the Vocational Education Committees (VECs) as part of a block grant. VECs are given a high level of autonomy in the management and appropriation of their budgets and each VEC is allowed to distribute its allocations in line with its priorities and perceptions of need. Accordingly, my Department does not have available to it a detailed breakdown of the...
- Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The primary statutory responsibility for child protection lies with the Health Service Executive. The role of my Department is to provide guidance and support to schools in implementing child protection policy and to refer any allegations received to the appropriate authorities for investigation. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has issued child protection guidelines and...