Results 841-860 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. I can inform the Deputy that the Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to industrial action on the part of some staff in the Department of Education and Science, I am not in a position to give the details requested by the Deputy. However, I can say that a new state of the art post primary school building with capacity for 400 pupils will be opening in the area concerned shortly. In accordance with my Department's policy, the post primary schools in the...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 218 together. The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The current position with regard to the 78 projects I announced is as follows: 11 projects have been completed and handed over to the school authorities 25 projects are currently under construction 30 projects are at tender stage 12 projects are at pre-tender stage. I expect the 30 projects currently at tender stage to progress to construction in 2010. The 12 projects currently at pre-tender...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to industrial action on the part of some staff in the Department of Education and Science, I am not in a position to give details of the case referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Due to industrial action on the part of some staff in the Department of Education and Science, I am not in a position to give full details of the school referred to by the Deputy. However, I can confirm to the Deputy that schools seeking approval to acquire additional temporary accommodation can apply to my Department on the appropriate form. Such applications are then processed in the...

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I advise the school to liaise with the NCSE to ensure that proper designation is included. I am concerned that children are appropriately placed and that children with special needs are differentiated.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Legislation has given independence to the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. I do not interfere in allocating or removing posts. It would be remiss of me to do so. The information given to me suggests that one of the SNAs was carrying out secretarial duties in the school and the provision for which that person was employed no longer existed.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am only telling the Deputy what was reported to me. If that is the case, the SNA should not be in the school.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: That is the report I received from the NCSE.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware special education continues to be a key Government policy. There has been unprecedented investment in providing supports for pupils with special needs in recent years. There are now about 20,000 adults in our schools working solely with pupils with special needs. This figure includes more than 10,000 special needs assistants, SNAs, 8,600 resource and learning...

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have made a statement on this matter. As the Deputy will be aware, some special needs assistants have been-----

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I made and communicated a decision that some posts are being created in schools while others are being removed. I will not set out the factual position until the review, which is due for completion at the end of March, has concluded.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education is independent of the Minister and I do not interfere in its operations. While I obtain information from the council, it would not be appropriate at this point to provide figures on the current position given that the final figure will be different. The NSCE is removing some SNA posts and creating new posts elsewhere.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: We do not know what is the position at this point.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy indicated I am hiding behind the NCSE. This Parliament established the National Council for Special Education as an independent body. The Minister should not interfere in the operations of the council, which has a job to do. Criteria have been laid down for determining whether a child requires a special needs assistant. The scheme is demand led and if a child meets the...

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is important that a proper appeals system is in place.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have piloted 22 schools and I have indicated clearly to the NCSE that where there are difficulties, because this is emotionally charged and parents are genuinely concerned, to meet through the school with parents whose children would be affected. That is important.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in the support of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream and special schools.

Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will also be aware that the NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is at present carrying out a review on the allocation of SNAs in schools with a view to ensuring the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. This exercise may result in the identification of surplus posts which are in the system and which do not...