Results 5,441-5,460 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (5 Nov 2008)

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. I understand that the Commission does make reasonable accommodations in the certificate examinations in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to inform the Deputy that An Bord Pleanála has recently upheld the planning application in relation to the permanent building for this school. My Department will now proceed to construction without delay and will keep the school authorities informed of progress.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an early stage of architectural planning. In this regard, a Stage 2a submission is currently being examined by my Department. 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...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers involves the acquisition of additional land. The progression of the project, from site acquisition and 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 capital budget of the Department, it...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (5 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. Among those decisions was to advance the withdrawal of...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Delegation orders were required in respect of two Ministers of State at my Department — Minister of State Haughey and Minister of State Andrews. The delegation order for Minister of State Barry Andrews was made on 15 July 2008 and for Minister of State Haughey on 17 July 2008.

Written Answers — Property Development: Property Development (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In March 2005, my Department gave TRBDI approval to proceed with seeking expressions of interest from private sector property developers to determine what could be provided at the estate referred to by the Deputy in exchange for the Institute's current property in Clonmel. I understand that negotiations with a preferred bidder are continuing. Following these negotiations the Institute will...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 376 and 377 together. The level of funding for rented accommodation in 2009 will be finalised later in the year but will be met from my Department's overall allocation in the budget. The capital allocation of €581m in 2009, although a slight reduction over the 2008 allocation, represents a significant investment in the school building and modernisation...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 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. Prudent management of the Government finances is...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Department of Education and Science has a single Press Office. This office is staffed by a Special Adviser with responsibilities for press and communications, two Higher Executive Officers, two Executive Officers and one Clerical Officer. The Press Office responds to media queries on behalf of the Minister, the Minister of State and the Department of Education and Science generally. The...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As I previously advised the Deputy, it is expected that special school authorities would consider post-school placement for school leavers in the period leading up to a student's graduation from the school. It is open to the family to liaise with the school authorities to discuss post-school placement options for the young person in question.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (5 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 — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As announced in the Budget on 14 October 2008, decentralisation projects for the following agencies under the aegis of my Department have been deferred pending a review in 2011: Higher Education Authority (HEA) 64 posts for Athlone; National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) 18 posts for Edenderry; Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) 34 posts for Edenderry; Further...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that at this stage my Department has completed the process of decentralising all sections due to relocate to Athlone, with some 88 posts now relocated. The new building in Athlone accommodates both decentralised staff plus approximately 100 Department of Education and Science personnel who had been in temporary accommodation on the Athlone campus. The floor area...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: To date, some 191 staff have transferred in under the Central Applications Facility (CAF) or have been appointed to this Department with a commitment to decentralise. The majority of these officers were/are initially assigned to posts in Dublin with a small number assigned directly to backfill vacancies due to decentralisation, arising in my Department's offices in Athlone, Tullamore or...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is planned to decentralise the headquarters of the Department currently based in Marlborough Street to Mullingar when new permanent accommodation is ready for occupation. The floor area of the proposed new office in Mullingar, as per the planning application, is 9,068 square metres. Following the Government's review of the decentralisation programme, a number of agencies under the aegis...

Written Answers — National Disability Strategy: National Disability Strategy (5 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It has not been possible to fully collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will respond directly to him as soon as the information has been collated by my Department.

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The student services charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services. This charge of €900 for 2008/09 academic year does not represent the total allocation made towards student services from institutions' budgets. As announced in the budget, the third level funding allocations take account of expected increases in the...

Written Answers — Institutional Redress Scheme: Institutional Redress Scheme (4 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 €128...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy has introduced the issue of comparability of class size with the position in schools throughout Europe. I have to say to the House that given the momentous challenges that countries right across Europe are facing to cope with economic recession, and in the case of some countries to even maintain financial solvency, raising the matter of educational comparisons misses the point. The...