Results 1,141-1,160 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: A new patronage model, under the aegis of County Dublin VEC is currently being piloted in two national schools - Scoil Choilim, Porterstown, County Dublin and Scoil Ghrainne, Phibblestown, Co. Dublin. Legislation which will allow vocational education committees to become involved in the provision of primary education is currently being drafted and it is expected that a Bill will be published...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (4 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 — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (4 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme is a mandatory part of the curriculum in primary schools and in junior cycle since 2003 and is designed to promote positive mental health. It is supported by comprehensive teacher guidelines and curriculum support services which provide training and advice for schools and a resource directory. Its aim is to foster personal development,...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that the policy underpinning the allocation of resource teacher and/or special needs assistant (SNA) posts has not been changed. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will continue to allocate additional teacher/SNA posts to schools in line with my Department's policy criteria. The Deputy will be aware that the NCSE, through its network of Special...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that the enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment in schools. The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which assists parents who are experiencing difficulty in...

Written Answers — Grangegorman Development Agency: Grangegorman Development Agency (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Grangegorman Development Agency was established under Section 8 of the Grangegorman Development Agency Act 2005. The general aim of the Agency is to oversee the development of the lands at Grangegorman on behalf of the Departments of Education and Science, Health and Children, Dublin Institute of Technology and the Health Services Executive. Section 12 of the Act provides that the Agency...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Department is in receipt of an application for co-funding to construct a sports hall at the school to which the Deputy refers. The proposed project is being considered in the context of the capital budget available to my Department for school buildings generally.

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (3 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...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, notification of intention to grant planning permission for the two schools to which he refers issued from the local authority on the 28th of January 2010. Any decision to progress this project is contingent, among other things, on the receipt of the final decision to grant. When the necessary statutory approvals are received my Department will examine their...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. In January 2010 my Department authorised this project to progress to stage 2b. This includes applying for Planning Permission, Fire certificate and Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of tender documentation. The proposed building project will be considered in the context of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers was one of 25 that I announced would commence architectural planning in February 2009. Since then, my officials have prepared detailed drawings and the local authority facilitated a number of preplanning meetings prior to the lodgement of a planning application. Following the preplanning meetings, my Department addressed the issues raised by the...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Officials in my Department met with the Trustees of the school to which the Deputy refers. The Trustees expressed some concern about the future of the school and it is my understanding that they are considering a number of options in this regard. The Department understands that the Trustees have met with the Board of Management, staff and representatives of parents from the school to...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: From September 2010, as announced in Budget 2010, all new applicants including mature students 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 maintenance grants. The cost of the student services charge and any fees payable to colleges will continue to be met, for eligible...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers applied for major capital works in February 1999. The building project for the school is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The next stage for this project will be the completion of stage 2(b) of architectural planning. This will require tender documents for this project to be prepared in line with the new form of Public Works...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction is dependent on the prioritisation of competing demands on the funding available under the Department's capital budget. The proposed building project...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 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...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department has received a major capital application from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 2.2. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department has received an application for major capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 2.1. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that my Department has received an application for major capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. 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 for...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (3 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.