Results 1,681-1,700 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (26 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are on the Department's website. Where there is no psychologist available through NEPS, a school may access...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for capital funding for a large scale extension project. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 1 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to reassure the Deputy that I, along with my colleagues in Government, recognise the importance of ensuring that students from a Protestant background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos. The Deputy will be aware that, against a backdrop of a difficult economic and fiscal situation, I had to take decisions that impacted on the staffing and the range of funding...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (26 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are on the Department's website. Where there is no psychologist available through NEPS, a school may access...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (26 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions, which is funded by my Department, provides funding for the development of research facilities and collaborative programmes across all disciplines, including biotechnology. Of the €865 million committed to date under the Programme, some €412 million has been committed to the biosciences and biomedical...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (26 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Primary School curriculum is designed as an eight year course, including a two year infant cycle followed by six years in standards from first to sixth, with children progressing to the next grade at the end of each school year. The curriculum is flexible and child-centred, and can be adapted to meet children's needs. A range of additional supports are also available to schools to...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (26 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In September when I spoke at the annual conference of the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) I indicated publicly my general intentions in relation to the future organisation of the VEC system. I invited the IVEA and other interested parties to make written submissions if they wished that I would consider in finalising proposals. Furthermore the Programme for Government includes a...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (26 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 to be recognised as a patron body at second level is being fully examined within the context of legal, financial and other factors that I must consider. The question of the governance structure is also being considered as...

Written Answers — Higher Education Funding: Higher Education Funding (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The increase of 8% in overall CAO acceptances this year, following on from last year's increase of 6%, is a clear signal of the strong demand for higher education in Ireland. My Department has invested significantly in higher education in recent years with funding of some €2 billion being allocated this year to the sector which includes recurrent and capital funding. Nonetheless, in...

Written Answers — Educational Programmes: Educational Programmes (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applicants for places on the programme referred to by the Deputy must meet the eligibility criteria established for this initiative, that is they must have a claim for Jobseeker's Allowance/Benefit of at least 6 months duration or have been made statutorily redundant. Individual applicants should address any queries in relation to their eligibility to the participating institutions.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 561 and 524 together. The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for capital funding for a large scale extension project. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 1 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Higher Education Authority is currently conducting research on the numbers progressing in the third level system. The research will report on the progression of third level students from March 2008 to March 2009. This report will be available early in the New Year. Data on the 2009/2010 entrants will not be available until summer 2010. In relation to the issue of the student...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for a sports hall and for some ancillary accommodation. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme....

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. My Department wrote to the school last week approving stage 2(b) - Detailed Design. The school has been advised that its design team should now ensure that a full and complete, co-ordinated package of tender documents are available for issue to tenderers. When these are ready, the Board...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The closing date for the receipt of applications under the Summer Works Scheme 2010 is 27 November next. 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. In keeping with the timetable published with the governing Circular letter, I...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of carrying out detailed analysis of over 40 locations of highest population growth in order to identify the school accommodation requirements up to and including the school year 2014/2015. When the required reports have been completed for these initial areas selected the Forward Planning Section will continue to work on...

Written Answers — Caiteachas Ranna: Caiteachas Ranna (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tá sé riachtanach laghduithe suntasacha a dhéanamh i gcaiteachas buiséadach insna blianta le teacht. Machnófar leibhéil caiteachais mo Roinnese mar chuid den phróiseas Meastachán agus buiséadach do 2010. Áireofar anseo machnamh ar Thuarascáil an Ghrúpa Speisialta um Uimhreacha na Seirbhíse Poiblí agus Cláir Chaiteachais, agus is gnó don Rialtas iad na cinntí faoi na nithe...

Written Answers — Water Conservation: Water Conservation (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 546 together. The source data for per capita usage of 3.5 cubic metres of water is Circular WSP1/08 which was issued by the Water Service Policy Section of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. This Circular refers to published UK best practice, which is detailed in CIBSE Guide L published in May 2007 and entitled...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to the Department for capital funding for the provision of a new school. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 1 rating. The long term projected enrolment for the proposed new school is a Principal + 12 Mainstream Teachers. Information in respect...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The tender report for the project to which the Deputy refers was recently received in my Department. The report is currently being assessed by the Professional and Technical staff of the Building Unit. Provided there are no issues arising therefrom, the school will be authorised to proceed to the construction stage.