Results 7,041-7,060 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for large-scale capital funding from the school to which he refers, however no application for additional temporary accommodation has been received to date. In the event of additional accommodation being required at short notice it is open to a school to apply to my Department for the provision of temporary...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There is no record in my Department of an application from the school referred to by the Deputy for additional temporary accommodation. The school was approved for funding under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme in 2007, to provide classroom/resource rooms. The school management has indicated to my Department that the project will go to construction this month. The purpose of this scheme is...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The centre referred to by the Deputy has not been selected for designation as a developing area. However, this does not preclude it from being selected as a developing area in the future having regard to demographic trends in the town. These will be reviewed in my Department on a regular basis, with a view to projecting future enrolments and the requirement for additional school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 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 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 current...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school in question is at an early stage, and requires a technical visit to progress matters. 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 Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Third Level Student Support Schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to eligible students pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration (pursued in a university or a third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds) in other EU Member States with effect from the 1996/97 academic year. The extension...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning and the tender report has been submitted. 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 Department's multi-annual School Building and...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 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 the establishment of special classes and for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE will continue to establish special classes where the need...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 739 to 741, inclusive, together. Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The compulsory school starting age in a National School is 6 years of age. Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places....

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 contact details of their local...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is currently operating in temporary accommodation on a site that is in the ownership of Co. Dublin VEC. The Department is in consultation with the VEC on the possibility of using this site, together with an additional portion of VEC lands, to cater for this school's long-term accommodation needs. A study has been conducted to determine the feasibility of...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is awaiting confirmation from the school authorities as to their pupil catchment area. As soon as the relevant information is received, my Department will advance the process of sourcing a suitable site for the school and its acquisition will be considered in the context of the multi-annual school building and modernisation programme.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A timeframe for the delivery of the planned second level school at Clonburris, Lucan will be known when a suitable site has been identified and acquired. The local authority has a number of Local Area Plans in train and it is likely that we will be able to secure a site under this process. My Department is conscious of the lead-in period for the delivery of a post-primary school and it would...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 748 and 749 together. The specific information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, the Deputy can be assured that my Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve PE facilities for all pupils attending schools. My Department's design guidelines for...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In accordance with the Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools, all second-level schools should provide Physical Education as part of the curriculum. The programme that each school plans and delivers should be based on my Department's approved syllabuses and the teaching hours should be registered in the school timetable. The syllabuses have been developed on the basis of a time allocation...

Written Answers — Schools of Music: Schools of Music (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Cork School of Music represents a constituent part of Cork Institute of Technology. The position is that the Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions and my Department does not have any function in their day-to-day operational affairs. The Institutes receive a block grant from the Higher Education Authority and it is a matter for each institution...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30th September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued to all primary schools each year. Data submitted to my Department by the Board of Management of the school referred to by the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position to comment on individual cases in respect of home tuition payments. However, the home tuition scheme provides a grant to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for...