Results 1,121-1,140 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (9 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has recently received an application for additional temporary accommodation, from the authorities, of the school in question. This application is currently under consideration and the school authorities will be contacted when a decision has been made.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (9 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) which is administered by NEPS. NEPS in common with other psychological services encourages a staged assessment process...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (9 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 716 and 717 together. My Department provides funding for thirty eight projects in Local Drugs Task Force areas, including the project specifically referred to by Deputy Flanagan. Allocations for this project over the past five years, and for 2010, are as follows: - 2005 – €166,363 2006 – €175,036 2007 – €182,038 2008 – €182,038 2009 –...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the National Council for Special Education (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. While the NCSE has funded this research, it states clearly on its website, and the final research item will state, that the views and opinions contained in such research...

Written Answers — Information Technology in Schools: Information Technology in Schools (9 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The "Smart Schools = Smart Economy Report", published late last year, builds on the 2008 ICT Strategy Group Report "Investing Effectively in Information and Communications Technology in Schools" which was produced by a Strategy Group comprised in the main of education professionals who were working on a daily basis in schools and colleges; in addition the group consulted widely. This Strategy...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (9 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department introduced the Cycle to Work Scheme in July 2009 and to date 37 staff members have participated in the scheme. The administrative cost to my Department is minimal having regard to the number of participants in the scheme and the fact that payment to the suppliers and salary deductions are performed electronically. Information in relation to applications received from teaching...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Question 255: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [5815/10]

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Question 261: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position in relation to a person who was using her old insurance number since 1971 (details supplied). [5834/10]

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department provides funding for thirty eight projects in Local Drugs Task Force areas, including the project referred to by the Deputy. These projects, through a variety of programmes and activities, seek, in the main, to encourage young people not to engage in drug-taking. My Department originally took on responsibility for funding these projects through a mainstreaming process, whereby...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The 2010 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. Accordingly exchequer funding for the higher education sector for this year will take account of pay savings to be achieved by the recent reductions in public service pay as provided for under the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 333 to 335, inclusive, together. I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for funding under the Summer Works Scheme 2010 in respect of the school referred to by the Deputy. 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...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers recently applied to my Department for temporary accommodation to cater for increasing enrolments. This application is being assessed and a decision will issue to the school authority in due course.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Fees are waived in the certificate examinations for candidates who are dependants of persons who hold a full medical card. The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. This include the charging and collection of fees for examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: A full-time course, commencing in early 2010 and concluding in mid-2011 will be held in the following Colleges of Education for the purpose of enabling third level graduates to qualify as primary teachers: St. Patrick's College of Education, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 Mary Immaculate College, South Circular Road, Limerick Coláiste Mhuire, Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is not the policy of my Department to provide data in relation to the take home pay of teachers paid on my department payrolls as there are a number of factors that may affect the take home pay of a teacher in any payroll period such as amendments to the taxation position of the individual or the award of incremental credit. The PRSI system applies universally to employees and the impact...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has engaged a specialist firm to develop new procedures and systems for the provision of temporary accommodation with a view to achieving best value for money. Work is well underway and the firm of specialists is working closely with officials in the Planning and Building Unit of my Department. The focus of this review is the development and adoption of practical measures and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 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.

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that in November last year I published the 'Smart Schools = Smart Economy' report, which is the new action plan for integrating ICT in schools. The Report, which was produced by the Joint Advisory Group, which I established earlier last year, builds on the earlier Strategy Group report, 'Investing Effectively in ICT in Schools'. As a first step in implementing the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. I have arranged for the details...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The provision of a new building for the school to which the Deputy refers necessitates the acquisition of a site. The progression of a building project for the school from site acquisition through to initial design and construction will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on...