Results 7,521-7,540 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Schedules of overall accommodation for the school to which the Deputy refers have been agreed with Co. Cork Vocational Education Committee to cater for a long term enrolment of 325 pupils. The progression of this project as with all large scale building projects, from initial design stage through to construction phase, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 413 and 414 together. My Department is currently working on compiling a database which will provide the type of information the Deputy has requested. Work on this database is underway as part of a general review of rental policy being undertaken. Information will be collated on approximately 900 schools which have received approval from the Department to rent...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The Department has agreed a long-term plan for the development of the school referred to by the Deputy. A proposed Schedule of Overall Accommodation for the school was recently sent to the school authorities for their consideration and the Department is currently awaiting a reply in this regard. The Department is also in the process of arranging a technical site visit to the school and will...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for allocating teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs, including autism. Special classes for children with autism are staffed by a teacher and a minimum of 2 SNAs for every 6 children....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 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 phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. It is not possible at this...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now in the region of 6,000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. By the 2006/07 school year, we had reduced the average class size in our primary schools to 24, while the pupil teacher ratio was 16.4:1, including resource teachers etc. In that year, schools were...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Teacher allocations to second level are approved by my Department on an annual basis in accordance with generally applied rules relating to recognised pupil enrolment. In general a ratio of 18:1 is applied in respect of recognised pupils on established Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate, repeat Leaving Certificate and Transition Year Programmes and a ratio of 16:1 is applied in respect...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy may be aware that the Teaching Council has a statutory role in relation to the review of standards required for entry into the teaching profession, including the standards of knowledge, skill and competence required for the practice of teaching. The Council has begun its work in relation to this review and will produce a Strategy for initial teacher education. To this end, the...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I want to assure the Deputy that the Government is fully aware of the funding pressures on schools. The Government is committed to doubling the primary capitation grant by 2012 and to significantly increasing the value of the ancillary services grant that is used by schools for the employment of support staff such as caretakers and secretaries. These commitments are a direct follow-on from...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level schools reflect the sectoral division of our second level system. At the core of all arrangements is a reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding. My Department provides funding to secondary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to...

Written Answers — Water Charges: Water Charges (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, on 4th January 2008, details were announced by Government of the transitional arrangements which will apply for schools water services as part of the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive. This statement reiterated the Government's commitment to the implementation of the Directive, which has as its objective the promotion of water conservation and the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the Programme for Government commits my Department to establishing a Developing Areas Unit. Initial work on establishing and assigning dedicated staff to the Unit began in the latter part of 2007 and it is now fully operational. In terms of its work programme for 2008, the Developing Areas Unit is advancing the delivery of 30 new primary schools which are planned to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Programme for Government sets out a number of measures in relation to school provision including improving arrangements for the planning for new schools. My colleague, the Minster for Environment, Heritage and Local Government Minister Gormley published draft planning guidelines on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas for public consultation in February which reinforces the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Professional and Technical staff in my Department regularly reviews and update the design of school buildings. A suite of technical guidance documents is available on my Departments website to assist design teams in best practise in the design development of projects and to encourage the design team to take a complete design team approach from project conception. My Department has...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware the Programme for Government commits my Department to prioritise energy efficiency and eco-design in new school buildings. Indeed my Department has a strong record in developing low energy educational buildings. For the past eight years my Department has been using a process called the DART approach to develop sustainable and energy efficiency in educational...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the Programme for Government commits my Department to promote and support the use of school facilities by community groups and other appropriate services and design new schools in order to facilitate multi-use. The primary responsibility of my Department in this area is the provision of school facilities for the effective delivery of the curriculum. In addition,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware the Programme for Government commits my Department to abolish the local contribution to building projects and to the rental of accommodation. This matter is currently under consideration.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In November 2006 the funding for the minor works grant was increased by 44% on the previous year. Around €27m was paid out that year and a similar amount for the 2007/8 school year to primary schools throughout the country to enable thousands of small scale works to be completed without the need to interact with my Department. Individual primary schools received a grant in the sum of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 May 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware the Programme for Government commits my Department to ensure that where the State builds a new school on land which it owns, the building will be in the ownership of the Department of Education. Those sites that are acquired by my Department for the purposes of providing permanent accommodation for schools are generally green-field sites and the school buildings...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I am conscious of the workload issues affecting Principal teachers and am aware of the key role they play in determining the shape of our schools. The scheme of release time for principals enables teaching principals of primary schools to be released from their teaching duties for a specified number of days annually to undertake administrative leadership and management functions. The number...