Results 7,441-7,460 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Both the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2007 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989 place obligations on employers to prevent harassment and ensure the health and safety of their employees in the workplace. Such policies are a matter for each institution in accordance with the requirements of the Institutes of Technology Act 2006. It is my understanding that all Institutes...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 405, 406 and 407 together. My Department is providing broadband connectivity to recognised primary and post-primary schools under the Schools Broadband Access Programme. This programme is being undertaken in partnership with industry in the context of a Government — IBEC/TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) Agreement to provide local broadband...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 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 Rush. 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 — Data Protection: Data Protection (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 409 to 416, inclusive, together. There are a range of measures in place to safeguard personal data held by various business units in my Department. My Department has produced a set of guidelines for all staff which sets out the issues to be considered when collecting, storing and processing personal data. These guidelines were approved by the Data Protection...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to expenditure by my Department on consultants is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is being prepared in my Department and will be forwarded directly to him.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension has been received from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. An assessment of projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and housing developments in the area will be required in order to determine the long term projected staffing figure on which the school's accommodation needs will be based. Once the long...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Circular 044/2007, issued in July 2007, requires all schools to provide the minimum recommended tuition in English in Irish medium primary schools, beginning no later than the start of the second term in Junior Infants. The revised primary curriculum was launched in 1999 after extensive consultation with the partners in education. Page 27 in the Introduction to the Curriculum states "It is a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that an application for funding has been received from the relevant Vocational Education Committee in respect of the school in question. The application seeks funding for an extension, refurbishment and a PE Hall. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 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 asked to source a suitable site for the school in question. A suitable site has been identified. The progression of the site acquisition for the school in question and all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project for the school referred to by the Deputy has advanced to the stage that the Department has agreed the Schedule of Accommodation for a new 16-classroom school. The site required for the new school has now been acquired and the process of appointing a design team has commenced. The Department published the advertisement seeking qualified consultants on the public procurement website...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 May 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 processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special needs supports on the basis of applications in respect of individual pupils. The SENOs operate within the policy outlined in my Department's...

Written Answers — School Funding: School Funding (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department does not operate a debt relief scheme for schools. However, a small number of schools have sought assistance as an exceptional matter to deal with serious financial difficulties. Between 2002 and 2006, additional financial assistance for this purpose was provided to a total of 97 schools, mainly serving disadvantaged areas. In 2002, 26 schools received approximately...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Where the nature of the pension awarded to the teacher on initial retirement does not debar a return to employment, such a return to work may give rise to abatement of pension. Abatement is a standard feature of public service pension schemes and is the mechanism used to ensure that the combined earnings (pension plus pay) do not exceed the uprated pay on which the pension is based. Where a...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: While my Department does not operate a specific national scheme for the provision of homework clubs, it supports a range of programmes which target additional resources at pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in order to facilitate their full participation in the education system. In assessing applications for funding, my Department gives consideration to interventions already...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: While my Department does not operate a specific national scheme for the provision of homework clubs, it supports a range of programmes which target additional resources at pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in order to facilitate their full participation in the education system. In the region of €800 million will be spent by my Department this year on tackling educational...

Written Answers — Departmental Statistics: Departmental Statistics (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are some 156 cases before the Courts which involve the Department as a Defendant or Respondent. They include litigation relating to Primary and Post-Primary Schools, Community and Comprehensive Schools, Special Educational Needs, school non-attendance, school transport, employment law matters, (including salaries and pensions), litigation arising from industrial relations actions...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The latest information available to my Department on the number of schools offering specific subjects relates to the 2005/06 school year. 554 second-level schools offered physics to Leaving Certificate level. 69 second-level schools offered the subject Physics and Chemistry to Leaving Certificate level. 550 second-level schools offered chemistry to Leaving Certificate level. 691...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for third level 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. I understand that the candidate referred to by the...