Results 5,321-5,340 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — : (18 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 916 to 940, 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...
- Written Answers — School Management: School Management (18 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Voluntary contributions by parents of pupils in recognised primary schools are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition. The manner in which such voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management, however their...
- Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (18 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of â¬302 million in the Education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions included reductions on the aid for school books scheme which in the case of schools outside of the DEIS scheme will involve savings of approximately â¬7.5 million on current...
- Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (18 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Within DEIS, the commitment given to Early Years education is that "The Department will work in partnership with other departments and agencies to complement and add value to existing childcare programmes in disadvantaged communities, with a view to ensuring that the overall care and education needs of the children concerned are met in an integrated manner." My Department is working with...
- Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The selection and enrolment of pupils in second-level schools is the responsibility of the school management authorities. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking second level places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not...
- Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Staff numbers for the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the Further Education and Training Awards Council, broken down by grade, are in the following table. The staffing requirements of the new agency have not yet been determined. Work on the detailed functions of the organisation has begun and the process of administrative...
- Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The syllabus for the Leaving Certificate Technical Drawing was revised by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The name of the subject was changed to Design and Communications Graphics and the new subject was introduced in September 2007, into a number of selected Post-Primary schools, for examination for the first time by the State Exams Commission (SEC) in June 2009....
- Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The governing bodies of higher education institutions are, by statute, independently responsible for all decisions on their admissions criteria and processes. The Supplementary Admissions Route is a joint admissions initiative of twelve higher education institutions and the CAO . It facilitates access to third level for students who may have been educationally disadvantaged because of their...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: As I have stated in this House the ongoing requirement for current levels of language support teachers in schools should also start to reduce in line with lower levels of immigration and in line with improvements in the levels of proficiency of those pupils for whom this resource has been available. Various indicators are emerging at a macro economic level which point to a reduction in...
- Written Answers — Schools Funding: Schools Funding (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure, and decisions were made in order to control expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long term. In this respect Education, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be entirely spared, and I acknowledge the impact of funding restrictions in...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 249 to 251, inclusive, together. The progression of all large scale school building projects, including those to which the Deputy refers, from site acquisition to initial design and through to construction will be considered in the context of the Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current...
- Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together. As the Deputy is aware, my Department initiated a review of post-primary provision in the New Ross area principally to achieve rationalisation among the existing five providers. The review arose following the receipt of applications for capital funding from the managerial authorities of all post primary providers and against a backdrop of...
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that discussions are ongoing at Trustee level in relation to the possible amalgamation of the post primary providers in the area to which he refers. When the outcome of these discussions is known, consideration can be given to any application for capital funding which the Department has on hands for the schools in question. In the meantime, it is open to the schools...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: A project to provide for a major extension/refurbishment to the school to which the Deputy refers to is at the early stages of architectural planning. A Design Team has been appointed. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to tender and construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an ongoing basis in the context of my...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: A project to provide for the provision of an autistic unit at the school referred to by the Deputy is currently in architectural planning â a stage 3 submission (sketch scheme) has been forwarded to my Department for consideration. The progression of all large scale buildings projects from initial design to tender and construction stages, including this project, will be considered on an...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. 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...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 255 to 257, inclusive, together. I can confirm that the schools to which the Deputy refers have submitted applications to my Department for large scale capital funding. The progression of all large scale building projects, including these projects, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The proposed 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 from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme....
- Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I have appointed the following staff since I was appointed Minister for Education and Science: Ms. Deirdre McDonnell, Special Adviser â located in my Department (Salary Scale: â¬90,702 â â¬113,141); Mr. Bernard Mallee, Special Adviser (with responsibility for press and communications) â located in my Department (Salary Scale: â¬86,168 ââ¬107,485); Ms. Katherine Woods, Personal...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school 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...