Results 1,281-1,300 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

National University of Ireland. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 11 and 13 together. I stand by the Government's decision to dissolve the National University of Ireland. Since 1997, the NUI has not been a federal university in any real sense. All significant powers ordinarily associated with a university are directly assigned to the four constituent universities of the NUI. They make awards themselves and have their...

Departmental Correspondence. (28 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 14 together. A response has issued to the correspondence from the Justice for Magdalenes group and my officials have been in touch with the group to arrange a meeting with its representatives. The residential institutions redress scheme was introduced as an exceptional measure to provide compensation for people who were sent as children to, and who were...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project for the school referred to by the Deputy 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 certificate etc. and the preparation of tender documents, is...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: On 16 September 2009 a reply issued to the candidate referred to by the Deputy in respect of his appeal.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The breakdown of money paid to each local authority and vocational education committee by my Department in respect of grants to eligible students in each county for 2007, 2008 and 2009 is set out in the following table. Staffing costs associated with the processing of grants are met by local authorities and vocational education committees within their overall resources and a breakdown of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that a site has been identified and Contracts for the acquisition of the site are being exchanged.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials in my Department are aware of the issues affecting delivery of this project. Unfortunately, the delay in receiving Planning Permission stands to impact the schedule for delivery. The first request by the Local Authority for further information pursuant to the Planning application involved certain issues which were not raised at my Department's...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applications for redundancy are being received and processed in my Department on an ongoing basis. I can confirm that an application has been received from the Special Needs Assistant referred to by the Deputy and it is expected that any payment owed will issue in March.

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (27 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is recognised by my Department. In common with all schools, when initially established, the school was granted temporary recognition to allow it to demonstrate its viability. Last year, the Department extended the school's temporary recognition for a further three years to allow it the opportunity to develop its enrolments further and demonstrate its...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are currently some 21,000 part-time undergraduate students enrolled in the university and institute of technology sectors. It is not known how many of these students would qualify under any extension of the Free Fees Initiative as this would be determined by the eligibility criteria that would apply to such a scheme, including for example, residency, nationality, previous higher...

Written Answers — Third Level Staff: Third Level Staff (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: For the purposes of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009, UCC is a public service body. A public servant is defined in the Act as a person who is employed by, or holds any office or other position in, a public service body. Consequently, employees of UCC are comprehended by the Act. Remuneration payable by or on behalf of a public service body to its...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department does not provide specific grants to primary schools to fund swimming classes. I intend to streamline the different grant schemes that provide funding to primary and post-primary schools, both for ease of administration and to ensure that school management has greater autonomy over the funding provided. Therefore, capitation funding provided for general running costs and...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's child protection guidelines for schools are based on Children First – the Department of Health & Children's national guidelines for the protection and welfare of children. In accordance with a school's duty of care to it pupils, each school authority should have in place appropriate practices and procedures to ensure the safety and protection of its pupils in all aspects...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (26 Jan 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 Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Jan 2010)

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

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, officials in my Department met with the Trustees of the school to which he 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...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Department is currently awaiting receipt of the Supplementary Tender Report from the school's Design Team. Assuming that there are no issues arising from that Report, the project will be authorised to proceed to the award of a contract.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The supply teacher scheme was initially set up at primary level over 15 years ago at a time when schools had difficulty getting substitute teachers. The supply scheme operates on the basis of an additional full-time teacher being allocated to a school to cover certified sick leave absences in that school and a cluster of neighbouring schools. If the teacher is not required on a given day to...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (26 Jan 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 587 and 588 together. The present position is that I have received individual responses from the 18 religious congregations that were party to the 2002 Indemnity Agreement, to the call for them to make further substantial contributions by way of reparation, following publication of the Ryan Report. I will be bringing details of the congregations' offers of...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 Jan 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...