Results 5,081-5,100 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is my Department's intention to provide a new building for the school to which the Deputy refers. 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...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (3 Dec 2008)

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 — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (3 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 285 together. The school to which the Deputy refers commenced operation in September 2002 with provisional recognition from my Department on the basis that it would provide multi-denominational education in the Clontarf, Marino and Fairview areas of Dublin. Its current location in Glasnevin, which is already served by two multi-denominational schools,...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, all Government Departments and offices are required to achieve savings of 3% in respect of payrolls. My Department has had to introduce a number of measures which will impact across the Department to ensure that expenditure on staff payroll comes within budget. These measures include delays in filling vacancies across sections as they arise and the non-recruitment of...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (3 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Any decision on eligibility for a higher education grant is a matter for the relevant local authority, as appropriate. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department, except in exceptional circumstances. If an individual applicant considers that she or he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance grant awarded is not the correct one,...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (3 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department asked the Office of Public Works to identify a suitable site for the school in question in September 2007. My officials have recently been informed by the school authorities of the vacant building in question and will consult with the OPW regarding the availability of same. The Deputy will appreciate that the acquisition of a site has to be considered in the context of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for a new building. Progress on this application 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 capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Universities Act, 1997, confers autonomous statutory responsibilities on universities in relation to the day to day management of their affairs and it is a matter for each university to manage their financial resources. The Universities receive a recurrent block grant from the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which is the statutory planning and development body for higher education and...

Written Answers — Whole School Evaluations: Whole School Evaluations (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Inspectorate is part of the Department of Education and Science, all costs associated with its work are paid from the administrative budget of the Department. Whole school evaluations and subject inspections form just part of the Inspectorate's business plan in any given year. In 2007, for example, the Inspectorate carried out 303 whole school evaluations, 758 subject inspections, 23...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including charging and collecting fees for examinations and applying such monies to the carrying out of its functions, and designate places where examinations may be held. In view of this, I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The School Development Planning Initiative (SDPI) is a support service established by my Department to assist and strengthen a culture of collaborative development planning in post primary schools, with a view to promoting school improvement and effectiveness and to further the process of whole school planning. The SDPI is based in Marino Institute of Education and has a team of one national...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In 2008 the Second Level Support Service has a budget of €4.092m. The budget covers the provision of support for a large number of curricular areas and programmes. In 2008-2009 the full range of subjects/programmes offered by SLSS are: English; Irish; Mathematics; History; Geography; Biology; Physics; Chemistry; Junior Science; Religious Education; Civil, Social and Political Education;...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that NEPS, in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, encourages a staged assessment process, whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention, in consultation with their assigned NEPS psychologist. Only if there is a failure to make reasonable progress in spite of the...

Written Answers — Teacher Inspection: Teacher Inspection (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: While the teacher in question is in her second year of employment she did not register for probation last year. An application to register for probation from the teacher in question was received during Round 3 of the submissions process in this school year which closed on November 7th 2008. Inspectors are currently in the process of being assigned to teachers who registered for probation in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is examining the feasibility of grouping a number of schools including the school referred to by the Deputy in the 3rd Bundle of school projects to be procured via Public Private Partnership. This examination is nearing completion and it is my intention to make an announcement about the matter as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Officials in my Department have met on a regular basis with the relevant groups in relation to the commitment in the current programme for Government to long-term funding for the centres that are in the ABA pilot scheme subject to agreement with my Department on standards that will enable them to be supported as primary schools for children with autism. I am pleased to advise that broad...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information available to my Department at this time relates to the 2007/8 school year. In that year the number of pupils enrolled in the Junior Certificate Schools Programme was 7,649 and 7,437 pupils were enrolled in the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Enrolment in individual state funded schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The estimated cost for the provision of special needs assistants in 2008 is €323.5 million. The breakdown is as follows: Primary €267 million; Post Primary €56.5 million. The purpose of the provision in this Department's Estimates for special needs assistants is to meet the costs of salary, employer's PRSI contributions, substitution and pensions for these staff members in primary and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The amount spent by my Department on the distribution of publications to schools etc. cannot be separated from the overall cost of postage including bulk postage issued from my Department. My Department's total expenditure on bulk postage, which is the general means of distributing publications, for the years in question is as follows: 2004 — €1,313,203.75 2005 — €1,458,607.33 2006...