Results 5,841-5,860 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 569 together. I understand that my officials have confirmed with the Deputy's office that the service in question is located in a residential facility. My Department does not fund the service and the Deputy may wish to make contact with the Health Service Executive and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding the matter.
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: My Department funds three means-tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions: (a) The Higher Education Grants Scheme (b) The Vocational Education Committees' Scholarship Scheme (c) The Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees. The Higher Education Grants Scheme is administered by...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received an application for major capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority â i.e. the local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: All aspects of property procurement and disposal in connection with the Decentralisation Programme is a matter for the Office of Public Works. The non-capital costs incurred by my Department to date under the Decentralisation Programme are as follows: 2005 Nil 2006 Nil 2007 Nil 2008 â¬191,945 non-property expenditure. (This figure includes expenditure on the fitting out of the new building...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has completed the process of decentralising all sections due to relocate to Athlone and to date, 88 posts have decentralised from my Department to Athlone. The main relocation of posts from Dublin to Mullingar will take place when the new office accommodation in Mullingar is ready for occupation. However in June 2008, my Department utilised existing available accommodation, in...
- Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The existing standard rate of capitation grant is â¬178.58 per pupil. The standard rate of capitation grant is paid to all primary schools, except for Gaelscoileanna located outside of Gaeltacht areas which currently receive an additional â¬25.39 per pupil over and above the standard rate grant. Enhanced rates of capitation funding are paid in respect of children with special educational...
- Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The acquisition of the site will be considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally. I am not in a position to say at this stage when the acquisition will be concluded.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early 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...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: An application was submitted to the Department under the Small Schools Scheme 2007 by the school referred to by the Deputy. Due to the volume of applications received in my Department it was not possible to allocate funding to all proposed projects and the school referred to was not successful. The main emphasis of the School Building and Modernisation programme this year is on the delivery...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early 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...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage. Given the growth in enrolments, temporary accommodation has been provided as an interim measure to enable the school to meet the demand for pupil places. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the new special school that opened in September 2008 as a recognised national school. The Deputy will be aware of my Department's commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with special educational needs, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Currently there are over 360 major projects in architectural planning, the vast majority of which would have incurred design team fees to date. Fees are paid on approval of individual design stages and could occur over a number of years as a project progresses through the stages. Given the number of projects involved, it would require an inordinate amount of staff time to assemble the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The matter raised by the person referred to, in his correspondence of the 8th October is being examined in my Department. I will arrange for a full reply to issue to him as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Fund for Students with Disabilities, which is ESF-aided, was introduced in 1994. It provides funding to students with disabilities attending courses in Irish and U.K. third level institutions and, since 1998, in Post Leaving Certificate Centres. This Fund is administered by the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education (National Office). The purpose of the fund is to...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 591 and 592 together. The Dublin Dockland Development Authority (DDDA) came forward with an offer to my Department to make a contribution towards the building costs of the project to which the Deputy refers. It also stipulated the value of its offer. As the project is in the early stages of architectural planning, I am not in a position to comment further on...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority â i.e. the local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 594, 595 and 616 together. There is no early retirement scheme in operation for Civil Servants whereby retirees are approved for added years or enhanced pensions on retirement prior to the date of their preserved pension age, nor has there been such a scheme in the past five years. In certain circumstances the Chief Medical Officer may approve early retirement...
- Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (21 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is committed to protecting personal data and takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the data it holds is protected. Data protection compliance is part of induction training for all new staff. In addition, 256 members of staff have completed records management training, which includes training in data protection. A Data Protection Policy, which was approved by the Office of...