Results 1,181-1,200 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 656, 685 and 689 together. The project for the school referred to by the Deputies has been announced to progress to tender and construction. Stage 2(a) for the project was approved in late December and the Design team have been authorised to progress to stage 2(b) of architectural planning. Stage 2(b), which involves application for planning permission, fire...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled and will be sent to him as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to the Department for major capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 1 rating. As part of the assessment process a review of the long term projected staffing determined there should be a Principal plus 8...
- Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The main financial support available to students in higher education is the Maintenance Grant. Students who are entering approved courses are eligible for financial assistance where they satisfy the relevant conditions including those relating to residence, means, age, nationality and previous academic attainment. Apart from the maintenance grants scheme and the free fees initiative,...
- Written Answers — Schools Emergency Repairs: Schools Emergency Repairs (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the school authority has been in telephone contact with the Building Unit of my Department concerning a problem with the water tanks. I understand that an application for emergency funding will be submitted in the near future. When this application is received it will be assessed without delay and the school authorities will be notified of the outcome.
- Written Answers — Schools Emergency Repairs: Schools Emergency Repairs (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: Emergency works grants are made available to those schools most in need of resources as a result of unforeseen emergencies of a capital nature that may arise during the school year. It is open to the school in question to submit an application for emergency funding to the Building Unit of my Department. Should such an application be submitted it will be assessed without delay and the school...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The building project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning and has been assigned a band 2.1 rating. A stage 2(a) submission was approved by my Department in March 2009. The progression of all large-scale building projects, including this project, is dependent on prioritisation of the competing demands on my Department's capital budget....
- Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the downturn in the construction sector has resulted in a significant fall off in the numbers of apprentices being recruited nationally. The number of FÃS registered apprentices requiring education and training has therefore dropped significantly in many trades. The Higher Education Authority has consulted widely with individual institutions on the impact of the...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is not available from my Department payroll databases, however I am given to understand from the Teaching Council that there are currently some 68,000 teachers registered with them. The managerial authorities of secondary and community/comprehensive schools are advised that all teachers who apply for appointment to permanent, temporary and regular...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The award of superannuation benefits to retiring VEC staff is a matter in the first instance for the individual VEC concerned. In this connection, the initial award is calculated by the VEC. The payment function is performed by the appropriate local authority following receipt of the approved rates from the VEC. In May 2008 detailed information on improvements on the way in which service...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: A major capital project at the school to which the Deputy refers 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 my Department's capital budget. The proposed building...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: As announced in Budget 2010, a reduction of 5% is being applied to the rates of student grants and scholarships. This reduction is being implemented in respect of all grant-holders from January 2010. Changes in the rates of student grant are considered as part of the annual Budget process each year and rates become effective on a financial, rather than an academic year basis. The 2nd and...
- Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy in Question No. 329 of 21 January 2010 is not held centrally within my Department and accordingly is not readily available. The material requested is being compiled from separate details provided by the various line sections across my Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The assessment of means under my Department's student maintenance grant schemes is based on gross income from all sources. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point, eliminating any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions. The income thresholds are stated on a gross income basis â the average industrial wage by reference to which the thresholds...
- Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am aware of the manifesto of the Children's Mental Health Coalition, which recommends the provision of guidelines to schools on mental health, the expansion of the Social Personal and Health Education support team, the delivery of SPHE in every school year, and raises issues regarding the operation of the National Educational Psychological Service. The Social Personal and Health Education...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 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 (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that a special class for autism was approved for the school in question in April 2007. He will be aware that special classes for children with autism may cater for up to 6 children and I have been advised that there are currently two children enrolled in the class in question. The school has made application to my Department for major capital funding. This...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 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. A copy of the correspondence...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 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 will...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2010)
Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers has been announced to proceed to tender and construction and is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. My Department received the stage 2(b) submission for this project from the Design Team recently and it is currently being considered by my Department. On completion of the review of the Stage 2(b) submission, my Department will...