Results 6,421-6,440 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Data for the current school year, 2008/09, is not available as the Annual Primary School Census has yet to take place. In the school year 2007/2008, of 6,561 primary school pupils in County Monaghan, 1,276 were taught in classes of 30 or more. The mainstream staffing schedule allocates teachers within enrolment bands and the current bands are based on an average of 27 pupils. While the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student maintenance grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority, either the local authority or VEC, as appropriate. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department, except in exceptional circumstances. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill vacancies in an individual primary school is a matter for the Board of Management of the school concerned. It is the policy of my Department that unqualified personnel should only be employed in exceptional circumstances and when all avenues for recruiting qualified personnel have been exhausted. Unqualified personnel should therefore only...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that my Department makes no distinction between the recommendations included in an educational psychological assessment raised by a private psychologist or one employed by the National Educational Psychological Service. Where such recommendations relate to the allocation of additional resources for a child with special needs the process is bound within my Department's...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Sep 2008)

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

Written Answers — Millennium Partnership Scheme: Millennium Partnership Scheme (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The objective of the Millennium Partnership Fund for Disadvantaged students is to support students from disadvantaged areas with regard to retention and participation in further or higher education courses. Partnership Companies and Community Groups manage the fund at a local level. The student referred to by the Deputy may contact the Blanchardstown Area Partnership on 01 8209550 which is...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department wrote to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in 1982 in relation to the practice referred to by the Deputy confirming that it should be discontinued. Following a claim on behalf of affected staff the Labour Court subsequently issued a recommendation stating that existing arrangements for staff should continue however the fee remission scheme should not apply to staff recruited...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the facility referred to by the Deputy is not a recognised State school and is therefore not funded by my Department. The Deputy may wish to make contact with the Health Service Executive and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding the matter raised by her.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The Permanent Accommodation Scheme was introduced in 2003 to reduce the need for prefabs. It was designed to give value for money in terms of providing permanent accommodation in place of prefabs, where an accommodation need was likely to exist for a considerable length of time. Since its introduction, over €100m has been allocated to schools under the scheme and it has resulted in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Sep 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning and the temporary accommodation approved for the school is required to facilitate the progression of the building project. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (10 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Work on a revised syllabus for Agricultural Science has largely been completed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). However, the assessment arrangements for the revised syllabus have not yet been finalised as they will have to be considered in the context of the assessment of other senior cycle science subjects, including the introduction of a second assessment component.

Written Answers — Offshore Islands: Offshore Islands (10 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In line with the Programme for Government, it is my Department's policy that, where possible, education should be provided on islands for both primary and post-primary pupils. In all, there are 13 primary schools on the offshore islands with a total enrolment of 270 pupils. There are 4 post-primary schools and one unit attached to a mainland school on the offshore islands, with an enrolment...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (10 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department provides significant annual funding to support the development of teaching and research activities in our higher education sector. The purpose and function of funding support in this context is to develop both the teaching and research capability and capacity in the Higher Education System. My Department also provides annual funding to the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (10 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is providing broadband connectivity to recognised primary and post-primary schools under the Schools Broadband Access Programme. This programme is being undertaken in partnership with industry in the context of a Government — IBEC/TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) Agreement to provide local broadband connectivity to schools. The Programme has three elements —...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to major building projects in Co. Clare is given in the attached table. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including those in Co. Clare, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (10 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The schools to which the Deputy refers have agreed to amalgamate into a Community School catering for 1,000 pupils. Amalgamation is dependent on the availability of suitable accommodation and a decision has already been taken to provide a new school on a new site. The amalgamated school was one of 27 new schools announced in September, 2005 to be provided under my Department's Public Private...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The schools to which the Deputy refers are not renting prefab accommodation. With regard to expenditure in the past 5 years the details are as follows; Nil was spent on temporary accommodation in 2007, €1,306.80 in 2006, €162,703.31 in 2005, €104,820.42 in 2004 and €128,731.97 in 2003.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information on expenditure of renting and purchasing temporary accommodation by secondary and primary schools in each of the past five years is provided in the following tabular statement. The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years, with the appointment of 6,000 extra teachers in the primary sector alone since 2002. In...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for an extension to the college referred to by the Deputy is at an early 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 on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Jul 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...