Results 6,341-6,360 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has recently received correspondence to correct the Terms of Consent of a letter that issued in 1983. The Department is currently considering same.

Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am currently considering a number of issues relating to the patronage of second-level schools and the matter raised by the Deputy will be considered in that context.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Sep 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 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,...

Written Answers — Bogus Universities: Bogus Universities (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Section 52 of the Universities Act 1997 prohibits the use of the term "University" where the organisation is engaged in the provision of education services unless the Minister for Education and Science consents to the use of the term. The existence of organisations of the type referred to by the Deputy is contrary to the interests of Ireland's higher education institutions, which have sought...

Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has not registered Educate Together as a patron of post-primary schools. As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently announced a review of the procedures for the establishment of new primary schools and my Department is currently examining the same issue in the context of the second-level sector. The matter raised by the Deputy will be considered in that light.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In July this year, I published the report Investing Effectively in Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2008-2013, prepared by the Strategy Group appointed to advise on priorities for investment in ICT in Schools having regard to the critical success factors for successful integration of ICT into learning and teaching. It was published along with the ICT in Schools report on...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information relevant to the Deputy's question is being compiled and will be forwarded to her as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1749 and 1778 together. The information in relation to the staffing and associated costs in terms of salary, overtime and expenses for my Private and Constituency offices and those of the Minister of State at my Department are as follows: There are currently 8 officers in my Private Office, 1 of whom is a non-Civil Servant. The grades of these officers are: 2...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, 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 — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has a grant scheme in place for the provision of school books to eligible pupils. Schools that operate book rental arrangements get enhanced levels of grant. In total, over €6.3 million is allocated to schools under this grant scheme. The person referred to by the Deputy should contact the Principal of the school for assistance under its book rental scheme. My Department...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that there have been no cutbacks in the provision of special needs assistants to support children with special needs. In fact, there are now 19,000 staff in our schools working solely with children with special needs. This includes over 10,000 SNAs — compared with just 300 in 1997. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The specific information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department and in view of other competing priorities in the capital area, it is not possible to allocate staffing resources to the compilation of the information at this stage. My Department's design guidelines for schools include guidance on the provision of PE Halls, general purpose rooms and outdoor hard play...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (24 Sep 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 of...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school in question submitted an application to my Department for emergency funding. Emergency works grants are made available to schools most in need of resources as a result of unforeseen emergencies of a capital nature that may arise during the school year. Following assessment of the application from this school and in light of the large number of projects seeking funding from my...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tax relief, at the standard rate of tax, is available on third-level tuition fees paid in respect of approved courses at approved higher education institutions including certain approved undergraduate courses in E.U. member states and approved postgraduate courses in E.U. member states and in non-E.U. countries. In the context of the recent social partnership discussions the Government has...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) which is administered by NEPS. NEPS does not keep waiting lists for assessments of children but in common with other...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Department has recently processed the request for funding for the temporary accommodation at the school referred to by the Deputy. The funding is now in the school's accounts.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The proposed new building in respect of the school referred to by the Deputy has advanced to the stage that the Department has acquired the site for the new school and agreed the Schedule of Accommodation with the school authorities. In addition the process of appointing the design team for this project has commenced in that the Department published the advertisement seeking qualified...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The acquisition of the site referred to by the Deputy is currently being processed in my Department. It is not possible to say at this stage when the matter will be concluded.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The statistical data requested by the Deputy is contained in the following document. These figures refer to all candidates who entered for Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate in each of the years 2004 to 2008. The Leaving Certificate figures include school based candidates, external candidates and repeat candidates. The Junior Certificate figures include school based candidates and...