Results 7,201-7,220 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 May 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 — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 May 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 (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy is aware that 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 children awaiting an educational placement and provide early education intervention for pre-school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy initially applied for an extension and refurbishment project. This application was assessed and was assigned a band two rating under the band rating system operated by my Department. The long-term projected enrolment for the school was originally assessed at 500 and a schedule of accommodation was drawn up and agreed on this basis. However, the current...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Discussions are ongoing in relation to the amalgamation of post-primary schools in New Ross. When the outcome of these discussions is known, the Department will be in a position to take decisions relating to capital investment in the area for the future.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 to 354, inclusive, together. Some 36 primary and 6 post-primary schools in Co. Clare have applied to my Department for capital funding for major building projects. The priority rating of each major project is established in accordance with the Criteria for Prioritising Capital Projects which allocates each project to an appropriate priority band rating on...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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. Within the terms of the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are 133 civil servants in my Department at the grade of Assistant Principal or higher. Of these, one officer has been recruited from outside the Civil Service. Towards 2016 commits Departments and Trade Unions to agreement on the increased use of Open Recruitment to the Civil Service. In any year the Civil Service may recruit from Open Competition to fill 2 in 9 of all vacancies at...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998, the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. In general, the Board has the responsibility to ensure that the school operates efficiently and effectively and also has responsibilities in relation to the actions of its employees. With regard to guidelines on discipline in schools, Section 23 of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are 330 schools building projects categorised as being in band 1, 800 categorised as being in band 2, 244 categorised as being in band 3 and 54 categorised as being in band 4. Band 1 projects address the needs of schools in rapidly developing areas, the provision of specialist accommodation for special needs pupils, schools with structural issues and rationalisation projects. Band 2...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department operates two visiting teacher services, one for Travellers and the other for children and young people with hearing or visual impairment. In neither service has there been a change in the relevant system of referral to visiting teachers or any change to the appropriate criteria under which service is provided. In the case of the visiting teacher service for Travellers, very...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 considering the need to provide extra resource and other teachers to schools in recent years, my Department has prioritised putting the extra teachers into schools as soon as possible. This in many cases...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (27 May 2008)

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

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In the context of discussions on the Social Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016, an Informal Forum was established in the public sector to explore a number of staffing-related issues arising in companies and bodies operating in the voluntary and community sector that are largely funded from public funds. As part of that informal process, my Department has facilitated a number of meetings...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's current Public Private Partnership Programme was announced in September 2005. This Programme provided for the procurement of 17 projects in 9 third level institutions. These 17 projects had been identified as priorities in the Kelly report. Following an examination of the individual projects the bundling arrangements for the third level PPP projects were announced in...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (27 May 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 will be considered on an ongoing basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 of Management of the school referred to by the...

Written Answers — Occupational Health and Safety: Occupational Health and Safety (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, under Safety, Health and Welfare at Work legislation for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. It is the responsibility of individual school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools. The Statement should identify potential hazards, assess the...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy has an application with the Department for major capital grant aid. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building works. Progress on the project will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation programme. However, in light of current...

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (27 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since the Summer Works Scheme was introduced in 2004, over 3,000 projects costing in excess of €300 million have been completed. With so many smaller projects having been completed over the past few years, my Department is focusing on delivering as many large projects as possible in 2008. Accordingly, there is no Summer Works Scheme for 2008. However, it is intended to have a Summer Works...