Results 4,681-4,700 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (27 Jan 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 your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Higher Education Grant Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under the scheme an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. An approved institution is defined to mean a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for replacement temporary accommodation to my Department. The application has been assessed and funding approved to replace the accommodation in question. This decision has been communicated to the school authority.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) which is administered by NEPS. NEPS does not keep waiting lists for assessments of children but in common with other...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to inform the Deputy that a technical inspection was carried out on the schools to which she refers in May 2008 with a view to informing the final brief for these projects, to determine the capacity of the site for the required works and the configuration which those works might take on the site. The accommodation brief has now been finalised and officials from my Department will be in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 518 on 18 November, 2008, the Stage 2A submission (Developed Sketch Scheme) for the building project for the school to which the Deputy refers was returned to the Design Team Architect for further technical information to make the submission compliant with Departmental standards. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a revised stage 2A...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I intend to have a Summer Works Scheme this year. The details of the operation of the scheme and the level of funding to be made available under the scheme in 2009 are currently being considered. The Professional and Technical Reports provided by schools for 2008 can be used again for future projects so that schools will not be at the loss of expenditure on them.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1585 to 1591, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1592 and 1616 together. The Deputy will be aware of the Government's commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. This facilitates access to individualised...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is aware of the accommodation needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the proposed project at Grangegorman, from initial design stage through to construction phase is considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. In light of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that on the 23rd of January last, I announced details of 10 major school building projects which are to proceed to tender and construction. The project for the school to which the Deputy refers, which is for an extension, is included in this list. While all of the projects concerned were previously offered for tender, they will now be re-offered under the new...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1595 to 1598, inclusive, together. There are currently 2.8 civil servants working in the Constituency Office of the Minister of State. The grades of these officers are as follows: 0.80 Staff Officer — located in the Department of Education and Science; 2 Clerical Officers — located in the Department of Education and Science The total anticipated cost in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers originally applied to my Department for an extension/refurbishment project. It subsequently changed its application to a greenfield site building. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied for large scale capital funding for an extension/refurbishment project. The project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. In this regard, the stage 4/5 submission (detailed design) has recently been approved by my Department. The further progression of this project, in common with all large scale projects, will be considered in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the main emphasis in 2008 was on providing sufficient school places in developing areas such as Naas, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country. In this context, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the construction phase to deliver a permanent 16-classroom school building...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are two primary schools and one post primary in Clane, Co. Kildare. All three schools have applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for extension projects. The application from St. Patrick's Boys National School was received in June 2005, the application from Scoil Bhríde National School was received in April 2007 and the application from Clane Community School was...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the main emphasis in 2008 was on providing sufficient school places in developing areas such as Celbridge, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country. In this context, a new 16 classroom school was provided in September 2008 for Scoil Naomh Pádraig. At Primary level also,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the main emphasis in 2008 was on providing sufficient school places in developing areas such as Kilcock, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country. I wish to advise the Deputy that at Post-Primary level my Department is not in receipt of any application for Capital funding....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the main emphasis in 2008 was on providing sufficient school places in developing areas such as Maynooth, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country. In this context, a new 8 classroom school was provided in September 2008 for Maynooth Educate Together. Also, a new...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Jan 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1607 to 1612, inclusive, together. 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...