Results 1,461-1,480 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Question 98: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will assist in having a person (details supplied) transferred from an acute hospital to a community hospital. [47756/09]
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority - i.e. the Local Authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: As the child referred to by the Deputy is attending a centre which is not recognised or funded by my Department I cannot comment on the standard of provision. The Deputy will be aware of the Government's commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The net allocation for Pay and Pensions accounts for almost 76% of my Department's overall current allocation as contained in the 2010 Budget Allocations.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The application for the building project for the school to which the Deputy refers was received in 2000. It is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. Stage 1 (preliminary sketch scheme) was approved in September of this year. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction is dependent on the...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The application for the building project for the school to which the Deputy refers was received in early 1999. It is currently at an advanced 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...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Prequalification of contractors is currently underway for the completion of the building project for the new school in question. The project will be tendered immediately thereafter and the project will be back on site in early 2010.
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 394 together. I can confirm that the school to which the Deputies refer made an application to my Department in March 2007 for large scale capital funding for mainstream classroom accommodation, ancillary accommodation and refurbishment. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The number of staff employed in my Department on 1st January, 2009, was 1429 (1332.58 whole time equivalent). The current number of staff employed in my Department is 1362 (1273.70 whole time equivalent). As well as all administrative staff, these figures include non-administrative/professional grades e.g. staff of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and of the Inspectorate....
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 375 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, 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...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority - i.e. the Local Authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 387 together. The Net Capital Allocation for 2009 was almost â¬841m. In mid-November when the Capital Carryover was being finalised the projected Capital spend for 2009 was over â¬761m. Under the Multi-Annual capital envelopes introduced in Budget 2004, Departments may carryover up to 10% of Voted Capital. I have discussed the matter with the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The levels of standard capitation will remain unchanged as a result of the recent budget. The capitation rate at primary level will be â¬200 per pupil, while at second level the rate will remain at â¬345 per pupil. I have consistently said that it is my intention to streamline and rationalise the different grant schemes that provide funding to primary and post-primary schools, both for...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The 2010 Budget provides â¬26 million to meet the cost of employing extra teachers in our schools in 2010 in line with commitments agreed in the Renewed Programme for Government. Some â¬12m is being provided in 2010 for the implementation of the Renewed Programme for Government commitment to provide 500 extra teachers over the next three years. This allocation will allow for the employment...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The level of student intake to the Colleges of Education is determined annually by my Department and it takes account of the supply of, and demand for primary teachers. The post graduate course was introduced as a response to a shortage in the supply of primary teachers. It was first provided in the 1995/96 academic year and has been repeated almost each year since then. The course has not...
- Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Officials from my Department recently met with representatives from Educate Together and there was a wide-ranging discussion about the issues surrounding Educate Together's application to become a patron at second level. My Department is currently considering a number of broad policy issues relating to the recognition process for second level schools and the application from Educate Together...
- Written Answers — School Funding: School Funding (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I have repeatedly stated my, and the Government's, commitment to supporting Protestant education. Indeed, it is in order to deal with the concerns expressed by some members of the Protestant community of the effect of the budgetary changes on Protestant schools that I have sought to ensure the direct engagement with those involved in Protestant education in identifying and resolving issues...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for a higher education grant is a matter for the relevant awarding body, a local authority or VEC, as appropriate. The means test for a grant application is normally based on income in the last full financial year. Therefore, eligibility for a student grant for the academic year 2009/10 will be assessed on income from the 2008 financial year. However, if there has...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or guardians, dependent mature students or as independent mature students. An independent mature student is defined as a mature student who was not ordinarily resident with his or her parents from the October preceding entry to an approved course. When assessing the...
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (17 Dec 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains information relating to class size in primary schools for the school years 2006/07 to 2008/09. The primary census for the 2009/10 school year is currently underway and the final outcome will be made available when this process is completed.