Results 921-940 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: She should not follow her leader's example by being herself.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will finish by stating a fact, which is something the Senator's statements are all too often lacking. Any child who needs a special needs assistant and meets the criteria will get one.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: This Government will continue to deliver for pupils with special educational needs. I commend the counter motion to the House.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: What makes me feel uncomfortable is that somebody is trying to make hay from the plight of children with special needs and using it to gain publicity. It is an unnecessary building of emotions.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I prefer to deal in facts.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is amazing that the Senator can make accusations but I cannot answer her.

Order of Business (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Chair.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is at present carrying out a review of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations in all schools. The purpose of this review is to ensure that all SNA posts meet the criteria governing the allocation of such posts, as outlined in my Department's...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I assume the Deputy is referring to the review of special schools and special classes being undertaken by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). I understand that the NCSE expects to be in a position shortly to send me a copy of the research it has commissioned concerning the role of special schools and special classes. The NCSE proposes to publish this research on its website...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I assume that the Deputy is referring to my Department's decision last year to close a number of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability (MGLD). I would like to assure the Deputy that there will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the...

Written Answers — Strategic Innovation Fund: Strategic Innovation Fund (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together. The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) was established in 2006 with a major emphasis on promoting inter-institutional collaboration in bringing about substantial change and quality improvement within the Irish higher education system. Projects approved under the Fund are aimed at institutional reform, enhancing teaching and learning,...

Written Answers — Higher Education: Higher Education (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, I have established a High Level Group to develop a new national strategy for higher education, which is examining how well Ireland's higher education system is performing, how it ranks internationally, how well existing resources are being used and how the system should be configured to best meet the many challenges it faces over the next decade having regard to...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is included in my announcement of 16 February of projects to progress to tender and construction. The official name of the school (Scoil Naomh Eoin Baiste - Buachaillí Snr) is used in my announcement under the school's roll number 17936F. This project also includes the extension and refurbishment of the junior boys school, Eoin Baiste - Buachaillí...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under national and EU procurement rules, companies from other Member States are entitled to tender for public competitions in Ireland. Similar protections apply for Irish companies seeking to tender for public competitions in other Member States.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The primary staffing schedule is currently structured to ensure that all primary schools operate to an average mainstream class size of 28 pupils. While the staffing schedule allocates on the basis of an average number of pupils each individual school decides on how to arrange its classes. In terms of class sizes 80% of primary pupils were in classes of less than 30 pupils during the last...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy is detailed in the following table: Large Scale Primary Extensions/Refurbishments completed 2006 - 2008 County Roll No School Year Rainwater recovery units Yes\No Carlow 14837L SN Peadar agus Pol Ballon Carlow 2008 No Cavan 11541V Dromaili SN Cavan 2008 No Cork 18279A Carrigaline 3 NS Carragline 2008 No Donegal 19553W Dungloe Central 2008 No...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is currently out to tender with tenders due back in this week. When the tenders are returned, the Design Team will be required to prepare a tender report and submit a copy to my Department for approval.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to tender and construction, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can advise the Deputy that my Department has been in preliminary discussions with County Cork Vocational Education Committee (CCVEC) regarding their proposal to acquire lands to service educational requirements in the Carrigaline area. I am advised that a revised proposal is currently being prepared by the VEC for my Department's consideration.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputies refer is at an early stage of architectural planning. Officials from my Department visited the school in December and discussed the project with representatives from the school and the design team. Following the meeting, it was agreed that the design team would proceed to submit proposals for an appropriate design solution for the school. My Department is...