Results 1,021-1,040 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the Higher Education Grants Scheme, an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. There are no plans at present to extend the scope of the student support schemes to part-time courses. The decision on eligibility for student...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that an application under the Summer Works Scheme 2010 has been received from the School to which the Deputy refers. Following an assessment process, projects will be selected for funding from all valid and approved applications on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria published with the Scheme. The timetable for the Summer Works Scheme 2010 has been...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Abair Leat resource was developed by Coláiste Lurgan, an independent college which organises summer Irish courses designed to cater primarily for post-primary students who wish to improve their competence in the Irish language. The Abair Leat website was designed to support Coláiste Lurgan's students in consolidating the Irish they learned while attending Coláiste Lurgan and...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (16 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since 2008 my Department has undertaken a number of measures as part of the Government's programme for the rationalisation of agencies. Most recently in January 2010, two bodies that were under the aegis of my Department, the International Education Board Ireland (IEBI) and Advisory Council for English Language Schools (ACELS) ceased operations. The functions of the IEBI have been...

Written Answers — Car Scrappage Scheme: Car Scrappage Scheme (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Question 102: To ask the Minister for Finance if a person (details supplied) will qualify under the motor scrappage scheme. [7403/10]

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 231, 247 and 294 together. The Deputies will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 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...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Arrangements are being made to have the special needs assistant employed by the Board of Management of the school referred to, from September 2009 to December 2009 paid retrospectively on my Department's payroll. The refund of any money paid by the school to the special needs assistant is a matter for the school to recoup directly from the person in question.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The closing date for receipt of tenders was 25th January 2010. The Design Team are currently assessing the tenders and will issue a Tender Report shortly for my Department to consider. When the tender process is complete and assuming there are no issues arising the project will progress to construction. It is envisaged that the completion contractor will be on site before Easter.

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (11 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 will examine 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 the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 251 together. The school to which the Deputies refer has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension and refurbishment project. In common with all such applications, this application has been assessed against my Department's published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. It has been assigned a Band...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm to the Deputy that there has been no reduction in the allocation provided in the Book of Estimates. In fact the allocation provides for the expected increase in enrolments at primary level. The amount of grant paid to an individual primary school for ancillary services is determined by the school's enrolment, subject to a minimum grant in respect of schools with enrolments up...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has no record of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy. If the Deputy would supply the relevant contact details a response will issue in due course.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Co. Dublin VEC has not sought approval from my Department for additional staffing resources to deal with the processing of higher education grants. In that regard, the Deputy is of course aware of the Government decision to implement a recruitment and promotion moratorium in the public sector. In respect of Vocational Education Committees, including County Dublin VEC, positions other than...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together. The selection and appointment procedures for posts of responsibility in VEC schools are agreed between the respective school management bodies, the teacher unions and my Department and are set out in circular letters issued by my Department. The filling of promotion posts in VEC schools is primarily a matter for the Chief Executive...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242 and 243 together. As the Deputy may be aware, in September 2008 I announced a review of the procedures for the establishment of new primary schools under the Commission on School Accommodation. It is expected that the review of procedures for recognising primary schools will be completed and revised arrangements will be in place within a two year time...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (11 Feb 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 — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for permanent recognition in October 2008 which was the 2008/09 school year. When it applied for temporary recognition initially, the school supported its application with a projected enrolment of 232 pupils for the 2008/09 school year. The actual enrolment was 105 pupils. Its enrolment in the current school year is understood to...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I met with the school to which the Deputy refers last year and the school authority is aware that it will be provided with a new school building. In this regard, the proposed project has a Band 1 rating, which is the highest possible priority rating under my Department's published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and the project will proceed as soon as the funding is...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The swimming pool to which the Deputy refers is privately owned and managed and my Department has no role to play in resourcing such facilities.