Results 5,981-6,000 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 359 together. My Department has funded the construction of a new 16 classroom school for the school referred to by the Deputy. It has been acknowledged that the school will now require some additional classroom accommodation and while the long term accommodation needs are being finalised temporary accommodation will be provided in the interim.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for replacement temporary accommodation. The application is currently being assessed and the school authority will be informed of the decision as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. I have agreed to meet a deputation from this school on 13 November next at 2.30 p.m. in Leinster House.

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The child's mother had taken a Section 29 appeal against St Mary's Secondary School which had refused enrolment of her child because of its inability to provide the specialist resources required to meet the child's...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 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 — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently announced a review of the procedures for the establishment of new primary schools under the Commission on School Accommodation. I intend to establish a Technical Working Group under the Commission to undertake a full review of the criteria and procedures for the recognition of new primary schools. This working group will begin work in the coming...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the general allocation model was introduced in primary schools in September 2005 to ensure that each school has learning support/resource teaching support available to meet the needs of children with high incidence special educational needs. When the model commenced, a commitment was given to carry out a review after three years of operation. This review is now...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I appreciate and understand the comments made by the person concerned. We are moving, and must move, towards an all-trained teaching profession, which is the desired situation. I have indicated my intention to commence Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act in the near future. I have also indicated that the commencement of the section will also provide for it to be regulated that a school...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is the policy of my Department to provide for the delivery of a broad and balanced curriculum in schools and to support this with the provision of appropriate infrastructure. The provision of a principal's office for larger primary schools and general office/administration space for smaller primary schools is included in the design brief for new schools and/or renovation/extension school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school in question is at an early stage. 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 the capital...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 371 and 373 together. The new buildings for the schools in the centre referred to by the Deputy are included in the second bundle of schools on my Departments Public Private Partnership Programme. The amalgamation of the post-primary schools in question has been agreed and the provision of a new building will facilitate the amalgamation. The second Bundle of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school in question is at an early stage. 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 the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The process of appointing a design team to the school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage. I have had no meetings with the Principal or representatives of the Board of Management of this school. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The schools which had already obtained tenders and which have not yet been approved to proceed to construction are listed in the following table. The total cost to date in respect of design team fees on each of these projects is also included. I would also like to draw the Deputy's attention to my statement on 29th September that it is my intention to make a further announcement in the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 to 379, inclusive, together. The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the current school year, 2008/09 is compiled from the Annual Census of Primary schools and is not yet available. The information in relation to the 2007/2008 school year is set out below. Data in relation to the 2009/2010 is not yet available. 1 teacher 2 teachers Clare...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received applications for major capital funding from the schools to which the Deputy refers. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including these projects, will be considered on an ongoing basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department will be providing a new greenfield site building for the school to which the Deputy refers, in due course. 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...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 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 the this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of...