Results 5,201-5,220 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student maintenance grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority, either the local authority or VEC, as appropriate. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department, except in exceptional circumstances. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (25 Nov 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 — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 563 and 564 together. In framing the budget, a range of very difficult policy choices had to be faced by the Government across all areas of public expenditure, including in the field of education. While education remains a priority for the Government, it has been necessary to curtail expenditure in some areas. While certain grants are to be abolished, I would...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (25 Nov 2008)

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...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I believe that schools have a role to play both in teaching students about road safety issues and in helping them to develop the attitudes necessary to promote safe behaviour on the roads. The Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, which is mandatory in primary schools and at junior cycle level, provides a framework under which the generic values and skills which underpin...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Fund for Students with Disabilities is a component of the Third Level Access Fund and is administered on behalf of my Department by the Higher Education Authority's National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education. The total allocation to the Third Level Access Fund for 2008 is €17.984m. In addition to the Fund for Students with Disabilities, the Third Level Access Fund...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Office of Public Works (OPW) who acts on behalf of my Department in the acquisition of sites for schools was asked to source a suitable site for the school in question to provide a new building for school. A suitable site was identified and the acquisition of same is at an advanced stage. Due to the commercial sensitivities involved, I do not propose to comment any further in relation...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (25 Nov 2008)

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, for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. I have arranged for the details supplied...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government agreed a transition period to full water charges in the case of non-fee charging recognised schools and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has advised local authorities of the detailed arrangements regarding the implementation of this decision. The transitional arrangements afford schools the opportunity to put in place water conservation...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table. My Department regularly reviews its consultancy requirements to ensure that expenditure is kept to a minimum. Arising from a recent Government decision all Government Departments are required to reduce expenditure on consultancies by 50% in 2009. My Department is currently taking steps to comply with this requirement. ...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the terms of the Indemnity Agreement reached with the Religious Congregations on 5th June 2002, the Congregations agreed to make a contribution of €128 million towards the cost of the Redress Scheme. This sum was broken down as follows: Property Transfers €76.86m; Cash Contribution €41.14m; Provision of Counselling Services €10m. In actual terms, whilst the overall figure of...

Written Answers — State Property: State Property (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The total number of National Schools in operation for the school year 2006/07 was 3,284 as set out in my Department's Education Statistics leaflet published earlier this year. As the Deputy will be aware the vast majority of primary schools are privately owned and publicly-funded institutions. The information requested by the Deputy in relation to schools owned by the Conference of Religious...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In framing the budget, a range of very difficult policy choices had to be faced by the Government across all areas of public expenditure, including in the field of education. Though education remains a priority for the Government, it has been necessary to curtail expenditure in some areas. While certain grants are to be abolished, I would like to emphasise that the capitation grant for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently 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 competing demands on...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Office of Public Works (OPW), which acts on behalf of the Department of Education and Science in relation to site acquisitions generally, has advised my Department that the Health Service Executive has formally conveyed its approval to dispose of a site for the Gaelscoil. A report provided by the OPW to my Department is currently being evaluated. The acquisition of the site will be...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought is not readily available in the format sought by the Deputy and would require excessive resources to compile at this stage. However I hope the information contained in the attachment will be of interest to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the school to which he refers does not have permanent recognition. Therefore, it does not qualify for capital funding from my Department. This includes the minor works grant and emergency works funding. A recent application to upgrade the heating system in use in the school was received in my Department, but was not successful on this occasion.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Nov 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 I will be making an announcement about the matter as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The process of reviewing the income limits and other aspects of the general criteria for the 2009 maintenance grant schemes is on going in my Department at present. The income thresholds for the current academic year 2008/2009 for the student maintenance grant were increased from September this year in line with movements in the average industrial wage for students in receipt of the standard...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (25 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available on a school basis and would take an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. However, the total number of teaching teachers in Counties Roscommon and Leitrim in the 2007/2008 school year was 317 and 152 respectively.