Results 7,481-7,500 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers have applied for large scale capital funding. The applications have been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Progress on individual projects will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. It is not possible at...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (15 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled and will be sent to him shortly.

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (15 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled and will be sent to him shortly.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The National Council for Special Education (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 special needs. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (15 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that a suitable site has been identified for the school in question. The site comprises of three plots of land with three separate vendors. My Department is continuing to progress any outstanding issues in consultation with the CSSO.

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (15 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The following firms of solicitors have been engaged to provide legal services: 1. J.D Scanlon & Company solicitors, The Bridge Centre, O'Connor Square, Tullamore. Engaged in April 2007 to assist in the purchase of a site for Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa, Laytown, Bettystown, Co. Meath. Fees of €12,348.28 (subject to with-holding tax) paid in May 2007. Following a tendering process, this firm...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (15 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the Deputy is referring to applications submitted for the 2008 Summer Works Scheme. The applications submitted range from relatively minor upgrades to substantial infrastructural works. Examples include roof works, window replacement, paths/kerbstones/fencing replacement, boiler replacement and toilet refurbishment. The number of applications made by primary and post...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (15 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: To date applications have been received to invoke Section 9 of the Universities Act, 1997 from Waterford Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology. These applications raise significant issues regarding Government policy towards higher education, in particular the existing roles of the Universities and Institutes of Technology which have...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a full list of primary and post-primary schools, on a county by county basis, is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The terms of award of incremental credit to teachers are determined by the Conciliation Council for Teachers, which is the forum for the discussion by representatives of the management and staff sides of claims, terms and conditions of employment. Arrangements for the award of incremental credit for primary teachers are outlined in Circular 10/01, and any changes in arrangements would have...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for capital funding towards the provision of a new school has been received from the Management Authority of the school referred to by Deputy. Applications for large scale capital funding are assessed and banded in accordance with published prioritisation criteria. These criteria were agreed following consultation with the Education Partners and the progression of individual...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My predecessor and officials of my Department met with the Trustees of the school and discussed with them the language policy of the school. I understand that the Trustees have engaged in discussions with the school's Board of Management on the issue. The Board of Management recently contacted my Department advising that they had appointed a person to review how the school facilitates pupils...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Enrolment data for the school year 2007/2008 are currently being processed and are not yet available. 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 30th September of...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In March 2007 plans were announced to increase the proportion of marks available for oral assessment in the certificate examinations in Irish to 40%, for pupils beginning second level schooling in 2007/8. This will impact on the voluntary oral Irish examination available as an option within the Junior Certificate from 2010 onwards, and the national oral examinations in the Leaving Certificate...

Written Answers — In-service Training: In-service Training (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Drama Curriculum contains a focus on An Ghaeilge agus Drámaíocht. It advocates the use of drama in Irish and asserts that 'the greatest benefit of drama in Irish is that it can bring fluency in the language'. The curriculum also alludes to the use of drama by the teacher 'in order to prompt and extend the use of Irish'. The curriculum supports the integration of Irish and drama and...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In relation to teaching methods my Department, through Teacher Education Section, has a wide number of initiatives in place to further develop the teachers' competency in teaching Irish. At primary level the "Tús Maith" programme is a targeted initiative designed to support the teaching of Irish. There are currently thirty — one cuiditheoirí on the team of trainers. The purposes of the...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A tender report for the project referred to by the Deputy is currently under examination by my Department. The contract for the project has not yet been awarded. 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...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy did not receive direct ICT funding in 2007. The school did however receive the annual Minor Works Grant which allows schools, inter alia, to purchase IT related equipment without referring back to my Department. Over €27m was paid out to primary schools throughout the country in 2007 to enable thousands of small scale works to be completed without the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A grant was sanctioned in March 2007 to enable the management authority of the school in question to provide additional accommodation. The scheme is not intended to leave schools with significant fundraising needs; rather the terms of the Scheme require the schools to tailor the scope of capital works commissioned to the available funding. The decision on whether to continue participating in...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Work on a revised syllabus for Agricultural Science has largely been completed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). However, the assessment arrangements for the revised syllabus have not yet been finalised as they will have to be considered in the context of the assessment of other senior cycle science subjects, including the introduction of a second assessment component.