Results 5,621-5,640 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €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 the withdrawal of substitution cover for absences on uncertified sick leave in primary and second level schools including Vocational Education Committees and the...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, I published the ICT Strategy Group Report, Investing Effectively in ICT in Schools 2008-2013, together with the evaluation report undertaken by my Department's Inspectorate, ICT in Schools, in July. While acknowledging the progress made since the ICT in Schools Programme was first launched some ten years ago with some €200m having been invested since its...

Written Answers — School Libraries: School Libraries (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €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 the decision to discontinue the funding that the Department made available to local authorities to support school library services. The amount of the grant payable to...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €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 reducing the enhanced capitation funding paid to schools in respect of traveller pupils enrolled. This measure will involve savings of approximately €1.2 million on...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to the detailed staffing allocation of the schools in question for the academic year 2009/10 cannot be determined until the allocation process has fully concluded. There is nothing exceptional in this. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the...

Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €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 the decision to discontinue the annual funding of €97,000 that the Department made available to the Centre for Talented Youth (CTYI) at Dublin City University. While...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The budget for 2009 must be considered against the background of a difficult international economic situation. While education remains a priority for the Government, it has been necessary to curtail expenditure in some areas, in order that resources may be targeted more efficiently at areas of disadvantage. While the grant for physics and chemistry is to be abolished, I am confident that...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to the detailed staffing allocation of the school in question for the academic year 2009/10 cannot be determined until the allocation process has fully concluded. There is nothing exceptional in this. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The make up and timing of further school bundles in my Department's PPP school building programme will be determined by my Department in consultation with the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). The issues to be considered in the timing and bundling of these schools include site availability for each school, geographical spread and the estimated total cost of the proposed school...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (30 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are currently 7 officers in the Private Office of the Minister of State at my Department, 2 of whom are non Civil Servants. The grades and dates of appointment to their current post of these officers are: 1 Higher Executive Officer/Private Secretary (appointed 8th May 2006) 1 Executive Officer (appointed 8th May 2006) 3 Clerical Officers (appointed 8th May 2006, 11th September 2006 and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €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. We are committed to investing in education but we have to invest at a level that is consistent with what we can afford and what is sustainable at the moment given economic circumstances. I am...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take questions 469 and 496 together. My Department has been aware of a need for further post primary provision in the Dublin 15 area and in that context, I sanctioned the establishment of a new post primary school for the area earlier this month. The new school will be called Luttrellstown Community College and the Patron is County Dublin VEC. My Department is working closely...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), 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...

Written Answers — Departmental Fees: Departmental Fees (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Income from examination entry fees is estimated at €8.7m in 2008. It is estimated that fee increases of 8% across all examination entry fees will generate an additional €0.70m in 2009. It should be noted that, as a proportion of the State Examinations Commission's overall funding, income from fees has reduced in the past four years from 15.6 % to 13.7%. A circular will be issued to...

Written Answers — Departmental Fees: Departmental Fees (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The target is that the fees charged by FETAC and HETAC will generate an additional €1.26 million in 2009. The Department is consulting the awards councils and relevant stakeholders with a view to agreeing their 2009 schedules of fees for awards and other services. The amalgamation of HETAC, FETAC and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland will not have major implications in the...

Written Answers — Departmental Savings: Departmental Savings (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The projected saving in expenditure in 2009 arising from the suspension of substitution cover for absences on uncertified sick leave in primary and second level schools including Vocational Education Committees and the suspension of cover for official school business in all second level schools is twenty eight million euros. Substitution cover will continue to be provided for the other...

Written Answers — Departmental Savings: Departmental Savings (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department estimates a saving in 2009 of €10 million on foot of the suspension of the Early Retirement Scheme for teachers. This figure is the estimated net savings after making allowance for the probability that some teachers, who might have retired under the scheme, will avail of other existing retirement options in 2009. The full year cost in the 2007 financial year of benefits for...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Teachers and Special Needs Assistants were exempted from the general payroll cut across the public sector. Additional costs arise from the requirement to appoint additional teachers to cope with the increase in enrolments as well as to cover the cost of pay increases applicable from September 2008 under the national pay agreement.

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The organisation referred to by the Deputy is an independent body and so cannot be compelled to recognise any particular third-level course as being suitable for professional recognition, nor can any timescale for such recognition be imposed. The third level institution referred to by the Deputy has informed the HEA that the course in question is currently under review by the organisation...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for a new school building. Progress on this project 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 Department's capital budget, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the...