Results 6,601-6,620 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are currently 5.5 officers working in my Constituency Office, 2 of whom are non Civil Servants. The grades of these officers are as follows: 1 Higher Executive Officer;1 Staff Officer (0.5 WTE); 2 Clerical Officers; 1 Personal Assistant (Salary €53,688 pa — non Civil Servant) and 1 Personal Secretary (Salary €47,566 pa — non Civil Servant). This staffing level is within the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Class size data for primary schools for 2007/2008 are currently being compiled by my Department and are not yet available. The source of this data is the Annual Census of Primary Schools. Data will become available when returns for all schools have been processed. The Programme for Government sets out the overarching policy position in relation to the provision of additional teachers and on...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Governing Bodies of Institutes of Technology consist of a Chairperson and 17 ordinary members (18 in the case of DIT), and the Director/President of the Institute. The Chairpersons of governing bodies are appointed by the Minister. The ordinary members are appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the relevant Vocational Education Committee in accordance with the provisions of the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may 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 (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for such...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for such...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The report on the value for money review of Youth Encounter Project schools is finalised and will shortly be submitted to the Houses of the Oireachtas, in line with standard procedure. The impact of implementing the recommendations contained in the report, including possible savings, will be the subject of periodic review. I should point out to the Deputy that, while the achievement of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government's Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative is part of a framework introduced to secure improved value for money from public expenditure. The objectives of the Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative are to analyse Exchequer spending in a systematic manner and to provide a basis on which more informed decisions can be made on priorities within and between programmes. It...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 632, 663, 668, 753 and 757 together. The changes to which the Deputies refer arise from a Value for Money Review of the ICT Support Services which was undertaken by my Department and which will shortly be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The review concluded that while the service is generally effective and efficient, the resources currently...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The report referred to was published in April of this year and the implementation of the recommendations are ongoing. It is expected that there will be savings to the Exchequer as a result of the implementation of the recommendations but it is difficult to quantify at this point in time.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department is proceeding with the value for money policy review of school insurance arrangements. It is expected that the review will be completed towards the end of 2008. It would be premature of me at this point to anticipate the conclusions that will emerge from this review.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has recently commenced a value for money and policy review of the special needs assistant scheme. It is expected that the review will be completed during 2009. The Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative is part of a framework introduced to secure improved value for money from public expenditure. The objectives of the review are to...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that preliminary work is being undertaken by my Department to facilitate the commencement of the value for money policy review of grants to first and second level schools, as soon as possible. It is expected that the review will commence in the Autumn and be completed in 2009.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jul 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. The advancement of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However,...

Written Answers — Schools Funding: Schools Funding (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Among the priority funding measures approved for support in 2006/2007 under the Educational Disadvantage category of the Dormant Account Fund and the RAPID Leverage Fund was a scheme focusing on educational infrastructure in disadvantaged schools. Eligibility for the scheme was restricted to primary and post primary schools participating in my Department's DEIS programme; schools in, or...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — 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 been...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999 outlines clear and specific functions for further education and training providers in relation to establishing quality in further education and training. When it was established in 2001, the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) adopted all the processes of the former awarding bodies and the National Council for Vocational...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Summer Works Scheme has, since its introduction just a few years ago, transformed the standard of existing school accommodation. With over 3,000 projects now having been funded under the scheme, the Department's intention is to concentrate the investment in school buildings this year on delivering as many large projects as possible. While there will be a focus...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received an application for funding under the emergency works scheme from the school in question. A decision on the application will be made as soon as possible and the school will be advised of the outcome.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. All schools have the names and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The management of the school referred to by the Deputy applied to my Department in December 2007 for grant-aid for the provision of temporary accommodation to accommodate an additional mainstream teacher. The application was assessed, approved and a positive decision to provide an additional classroom conveyed to the school in February 2008. I have asked that an official from my Department...