Results 881-900 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- School Management. (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: Yes.
- School Staffing. (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: Retirements at primary level since the introduction of the moratorium in March 2009 are 309 principals, 258 deputy principals, 141 assistant principals and 214 teachers with special duties posts of responsibility. The equivalent figures for the post-primary sector were approximately 100 principals, 75 deputy principals, 660 assistant principals and 150 teachers with special duties posts of...
- School Staffing. (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: There are two issues. I thank the Deputy for his support as regards the teacher unions and their directives. Teachers and their unions have always stated that they put children first. Obviously, however, these matters affect children within schools. I have indicated to the House that there is an unevenness in the number of retirements and promotions. I have also indicated that some...
- School Staffing. (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The cost of posts of responsibility is significant, â¬236 million per annum.
- School Staffing. (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: That in excess of 50% of teachers are post holders in schools is not sustainable and will not be maintained by the Government. We are well down the road in my consultation with the Minister for Finance. We have been consulting for some time and I hope to be in a position to finalise our discussions in the not-too-distant future. I do not want to put an exact date on it and then miss it,...
- 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 respect of the support of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream and special schools. He will also be aware that the NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is...
- Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: Where the child meets the criteria.
- Special Educational Needs. (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: This is an emotive issue that should be above politics. Of my budget of â¬9 billion, â¬1.2 billion is spent on special needs. The Government takes the matter seriously. I will elucidate the facts concerning the school in question. It is a special school with 39 pupils on its roll and 24 staff comprising an administrative principal, six teachers, four part-time teachers and 13 SNAs. The...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the current difficult economic circumstances have necessitated tough choices to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In these circumstances, from September 2010, as announced in the Budget, all new applicants who are in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing PLC courses will...
- Written Answers — Further Education: Further Education (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the downturn in the construction sector has resulted in a significant fall off in the numbers of apprentices being recruited nationally. The number of FÃS registered apprentices requiring education and training has dropped from 8,300 in 2006 to 1,535 in 2009, a reduction of more than 80%. Construction related trades have been particularly affected. The Higher...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The overall policy goal of my Department is to ensure the highest standard of permanent accommodation for all schools. However, in the context of a rapidly increasing school population and competing pressure on the capital budget available to my Department, it is necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools. The policy of my Department...
- Public Procurement Policy. (3 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy is scraping the barrel.
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (2 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: Due to staff action currently being taken, I regret that I am unable to provide the information sought by the Deputy.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Mar 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: Due to staff action currently being taken, I regret that I am unable to provide the information sought by the Deputy.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project to which he refers was included in my announcement on 16 February of projects authorised to prepare tender documents. The project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. In December 2009, stage 2(a) was approved and the design team were authorised to apply for planning permission. My Department is currently awaiting the school's...
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (25 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project to which the Deputy refers was included in my announcement on 16 February of projects going to tender and construction. The project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Planning Permission was received in November 2009. In December 2009, a delegation from the school and its design team attended a briefing by my Department on...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project to which the Deputy refers was included in my announcement on 16 February of projects authorised to prepare tender documents. The project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Planning Permission was received in November 2009. Subsequently, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) contacted the VEC and my Department...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project to which he refers was included in my announcement on 16 February of projects which have been authorised to prepare tender documents. Earlier this month, a delegation from the school and its design team attended a briefing by my Department on the completion of stage 2(b) of architectural planning. The Design Team have been authorised to...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, on 16 February I announced details of 51 major school building projects that will appoint design teams this year. I am pleased to inform the deputy that the project in question is scheduled to have a Design Team appointed in the third quarter of 2010. My Department will contact the school in due course. Details on all of these projects are available on my...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications...