Results 7,101-7,120 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (5 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested in relation to the amount of interest paid to suppliers by my Department under the prompt payment system is currently being compiled and we will be in contact with the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware the July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism who choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. My Department encourages all...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware the July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism who choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. My Department encourages all...

Hospital Accommodation. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will take this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. The development of the national paediatric hospital is a priority project for the Government. The objective is to provide a world-class specialist paediatric service for children in this country. The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, which was established in...

Schools Building Projects. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and to outline the current position in respect of the Department's long-term plan for Portlaoise in general.

Schools Building Projects. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Funding to address the capital investment requirements of approximately 3,200 primary and 730 post-primary schools is ongoing. The Government has dramatically increased investment in the school building programme from just over €90 million in 1997 to €586.2 million this year. During the lifetime of the national development plan, almost €4.5 billion will be invested in schools, an...

Schools Building Projects. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: That is not correct.

Schools Building Projects. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank both Deputies for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the position with regard to the proposed building project for Kilfinane — I had understood the name to be pronounced as spelled though others call it "Kilfennan"——

Schools Building Projects. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Kilfinane national school in County Limerick has a current enrolment of 126 pupils. It has a staffing of a principal, four mainstream assistants, one permanent resource teacher and one permanent learning support teacher, the latter post shared with another school. Originally, the school board of management applied for capital funding to the Department for an extension project. A feasibility...

Schools Building Projects. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: However, the Deputies will appreciate that I am not — and I indicated this when I visited the school — in a position to give the go-ahead for any more projects to proceed to construction at this time, including that for Kilfinane. I do not want to mislead this school or indeed any other school in the same situation by making any suggestions to the contrary. I indicated quite clearly to...

Schools Building Projects. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: This is why my Department consulted the education partners with regard to prioritisation criteria for the allocation of large scale capital funding and why these criteria are published. They are clear and unambiguous and they bring an openness and transparency as to how projects are selected for inclusion in the school building and modernisation programme. Not alone has their introduction...

Schools Building Projects. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——the teachers and everybody involved to give me an opportunity to carry out that review to ensure that I do not make any promises that I cannot fulfill and for which the proper funding is not in place to ensure that the project can be completed. As soon as my review is finished, Kilfinane will certainly continue to be a priority for me.

Schools Building Projects. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: They are a priority but I cannot and will not spend money when I am not aware of what I have. I gave that commitment to the parents of Kilfinane. I ask the Deputies to allow me the opportunity to go through my envelope for 2008 and if I can accommodate Kilfinane at the end of that review I will certainly do it and it remains a priority for me.

Special Areas of Conservation. (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, is unavailable and conveys apologies for his absence as he has another engagement. I welcome the opportunity to address the issue of the use of off-road vehicles in upland areas. This is an issue of concern because of the damage that such vehicles can cause to...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Office of Public Works (OPW) which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally has been requested to source a suitable site for the school in question. The OPW identified a site and my Department instructed the OPW to open negotiations on this site. The acquisition of this site was almost complete however, the OPW advised my Department that the Vendor could...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Schools have flexibility in the way in which they assign pupils and teachers to classes and the Department does not allocate teachers to specific classes or age groups. The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Chief State Solicitor's Office were instructed to draft a deed of partial surrender for a portion of land on the grounds of the school referred to. I am advised that the Deed of Partial Surrender has been signed, sealed and forwarded by the Chief State Solicitors Office to the school's solicitors for their attention.

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Over the seven years of the National Development Plan (NDP) €13 billion will be invested under the Human Capital Priority to develop the capacity of the higher education sector to meet a number of key national objectives, including that of increasing the numbers of students participating in the sector. The focus will continue from the previous NDP on measures targeting the increased...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (4 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 325 together. The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 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...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 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 the Department by the Board of Management of the school referred to by the...