Results 1,001-1,020 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers opened with provisional recognition from my Department in September 2004. During the period of provisional recognition, it is the responsibility of a school patron to provide interim accommodation. Notwithstanding this position, my Department is aware of the accommodation issues at the school in question and it is taking steps to assist the Patron in...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 choice. It is the responsibility of the managerial...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: From September 2010, as announced in the Budget, all new applicants who are in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance for all schemes, and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing PLC courses, will be ineligible for student support maintenance grants. The cost of the student services charge and any fees payable to colleges will continue to be met, for eligible students, by the Exchequer on...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware the project for the school to which he refers was one of 25 projects that I announced to go into architectural planning in 2009. Any decision to progress this project is contingent, among other things, on the receipt of the necessary statutory approvals and the completion by the school patron of the acquisition of the site for the proposed new school building.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to clarify for the Deputy that my Department has not taken a decision relating to special needs assistants (SNAs) in the school in question. As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and SNAs to schools to support children...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that on 12 February, 2009, I announced details of 25 projects to commence architectural planning. The project for the school in question was included in that announcement. Since then, the Department has sought clarification from the school in relation to their proposal to purchase additional land to add to the existing school site and confirmation regarding a...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department became aware of increasing evidence that a number of SNA posts were not being used in line with the SNA scheme criteria. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was requested by my Department in February 2009 to arrange for its SENOs to review SNA allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under section 2 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 a person is liable to pay the pension related deduction if he or she is a public servant on or after 1 March 2009 and is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme or receives a payment in lieu of membership of such a scheme. Where a public servant, including a...

Written Answers — Third Level Participation: Third Level Participation (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Participation by Irish students in higher education is continuing to increase. There is no cap on student numbers and higher education institutions have been responding to increasing demand by increasing the number of places they offer. In this regard, in 2009/10 acceptances of a place through the CAO increased by 8.3% on 2008/09. I have established a High Level Group to facilitate a...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have no plans to introduce a general book loan scheme, as suggested by the Deputy. Accordingly, my Department has not estimated the cost of introducing such a scheme. The Deputy will be aware that the Renewed Programme for Government provides for funding to be made available to allow schools to provide grant assistance for books. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that €7.65m of additional...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, prior to the introduction of the free fees initiative, the standard practice had been that the charge for examinations, registration and student services was included with the tuition fee as a single payment. In acknowledgement of the variation in the arrangements that existed in the colleges, a standardised charge was levied by the third level institutions, in the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: This case is somewhat complex and involves the reckoning of service which historically was not pensionable but which can now be made pensionable as a result of recent improvements in the superannuation provisions. In addition, the person in question gave service, many years ago, with another public service employer which may be capable of being transferred to count for the purposes of her...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 617 and 625 together. My Department has received correspondence from the person in question and has outlined the position in relation to his child's enrolment in the school concerned. The person has been advised that in the event that a disagreement arises between parents or guardians in relation to the enrolment of a child, it is a matter to be resolved...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: A revised Stage 2b (i.e. detailed design) was requested by my Department in January 2010. Upon receipt of this submission and assuming that no further issues arise the project will proceed to tender.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers was recently tendered. The Design Team is currently addressing a number of post tender clarifications with the preferred bidder. When this process is complete and assuming that no further issues arise the project will proceed to construction. It is anticipated that the project will commence construction in Quarter 2 of 2010.

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 choice. It is the responsibility of the managerial...

Written Answers — Ministerial Orders: Ministerial Orders (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested must be compiled from details supplied by line sections within my Department. The details in question have been sought from all line sections and a response will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as the relevant information is to hand.

Written Answers — Ministerial Orders: Ministerial Orders (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested must be compiled from details supplied by line sections within my Department. The details in question have been sought from all line sections and a response will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as the relevant information is to hand.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department received an appeal from the candidate referred to by the Deputy. The appeal was made on the grounds of a reduction in income. My Department examined the appeal and the decision of the assessing authority was upheld. The income in the case of the candidate referred to by the Deputy exceeds the reckonable income limits for the 2009 Schemes. The candidate in question may...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers made an application for a new school building in May 2005. The Department delivered an 8 classroom building in 2009 as the first phase of the project to meet the school needs. Forward Planning Section of the Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary...