Results 6,881-6,900 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I assume the Deputy is referring to the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004. A number of sections of the EPSEN Act, 2004 have been commenced, principally those establishing the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and those promoting an inclusive approach to the education of children with special needs. Specifically, the following sections have...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (25 Jun 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219, 223, 224 and 226 together. My Department will be providing a new greenfield site building for the school to which the Deputies refer in due course. Tenders have been received for the project and it is now awaiting approval to proceed to construction. I am not in a position to give the go ahead for any more projects to proceed to construction at this...

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Two copies of the "Primary School Assessment Kit", prepared by Integrate Ireland Language and Training (IILT) have been circulated by my Department to all primary schools in recent weeks. This will enable teachers to carry out initial and on-going assessments of the language proficiency of newcomer children. The Assessment Kit has also been placed on the Department's website. It is proposed...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Department has received an application for funding for the restoration of school grounds from the school authorities referred to by the Deputy. This application is under consideration at present and it is expected that a decision on this application will be made and conveyed to the school authorities shortly.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for maintenance grants is a matter for the relevant 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 desired. When assessing the means of students other than independent mature students, the means...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A suitable site has been acquired for a proposed new school building for the school in question. The long term projected staffing, on which the accommodation needs will be based, has been determined. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The estate in Co. Kildare referred to by the Deputy is in the ownership of a third level institution. The Institution is an autonomous body, with the day to day management of the Institution's affairs being a matter for its Governing Body. I have been informed by the Higher Education Authority that the Governing Body is currently engaged in an analysis of its requirements in relation to its...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It has not been possible to fully collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will respond directly to him as soon as the information has been collated by my Department.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (24 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's role in relation to physical education in the school curriculum is to approve the syllabus to be delivered in primary and post-primary schools, to prescribe the amount of time to be allocated to it, to provide appropriate training for teachers to deliver the subject and to provide resources to schools. In fulfilling that role, my Department is advised by the National Council...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the school has applied to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for resource teaching hours in respect of the child in question. The 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 autism. The NCSE operates within my...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (24 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 284 to 294, inclusive, together. The meetings at Ministerial level to which the Deputy refers were arranged to discuss specific issues, including the common challenges and issues which are faced by Ireland and other countries in the area of education and the potential for co-operation between educational institutions. The meetings with Ambassadors were...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. A progress report received from the Design Team is under examination by the Professional and Technical Staff in my Department at present. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (24 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 to 299, inclusive, together. It is my belief that a well planned Physical Education programme has a vitally important role to play in a broad and balanced curriculum for our primary and second level students. At primary level, Physical Education is one of seven curriculum areas within the revised Primary School Curriculum which was introduced in 1999. A...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (24 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department currently has a variety of syllabuses and programmes in place for Physical Education. Among these are the primary school curriculum in Physical Education, the revised Junior Cycle Physical Education syllabus, the Leaving certificate syllabus in PE and the Health and Leisure module as part of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme. The primary and Junior Cycle curricula are...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (24 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Physical education is a core part of the curriculum at primary level, and at post primary level all schools are required to offer physical education. A revised Junior Cycle Physical Education syllabus was introduced in 2003, and the Leaving Certificate syllabus in PE and the Health and Leisure module of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme are also available. In addition, Social Personal...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (24 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: School sports partnerships along the lines of those that exist in the UK have not been formally established in the State. However, apart from the formal PE curricula being delivered at primary and post-primary levels, our schools also play a major role in nurturing and promoting the involvement of students in sporting activities in the wider community. Sports organisations such as the Gaelic...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for capital funding for an extension project. The project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department considers that the development of the project to date is within its guidelines. There is no question of the school being penalised because of the time involved in the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: As part of the Programme for Government, a Developing Areas Unit was set up recently in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas, including Tramore. The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in these developing areas, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for capital funding for an extension project. The development of a building project for the school is at an early stage, and requires a technical visit to progress matters. As the Deputy will be aware, all applications for capital funding are prioritised and advanced incrementally by my Department. This applies to the...