Results 1,721-1,740 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 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. I have emphasised that the Government decided to continue to provide the Block Grant, which was increased this year. It is targeted as a support to individual pupils to...

Written Answers — Post-Primary Schools: Post-Primary Schools (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Further to Parliamentary Question 416677/09, I would like to inform the Deputy that the number for post primary enrolments is based on the returns from schools of students enrolled as at 30th September each year. The number of students enrolled in non-fee paying schools for the 2008/2009 school year was 315,820, made up as follows; Mainstream, including pupils in the Junior cycle, Transition...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The process of assessing eligibility for third level or further education grants, and the organisation and management of student support scheme grants, are matters for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies seek to ensure that students get decisions on their grant applications and are paid as soon as possible. Co. Wexford VEC has confirmed to my Department that, contrary to the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the terms of the Third Level Student Support Schemes, a student is not eligible for grant assistance in respect of a second period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether or not a grant was paid previously. The objective of the student grant schemes is to assist as many students as possible in obtaining one award at each level including one undergraduate degree and to...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have asked my officials to forward the information to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information required by the Deputy is outlined in the table. The Deputy will be aware, however, that in 2009, aid for school books was restricted to schools that have been included within the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) scheme. DEIS is the action plan for educational inclusion and focuses on addressing the educational needs of children and young people from...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The upgrades were the result of a broadening of the marking scheme for LC Higher Level Biology during the appeals stage of the marking, and related to one part of a question which was valued at a maximum of 3 marks out of a total of 400 marks for the subject. The scripts of all candidates who appealed their Biology results were already reviewed during the appeal stage to allow for the...

Written Answers — Smart Economy: Smart Economy (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The management of the Apprenticeship Training Scheme is the responsibility of FAS, which operates under the aegis of my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment. I understand that FAS is taking a number of measures to assist apprentices who have been made redundant secure the relevant on-the-job training phases necessary to complete their apprenticeship. The...

Written Answers — Smart Economy: Smart Economy (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Following a review by the Institutes of Technology of the scope to utilise vacant capacity, it was decided that placing people on programmes which had already started could disadvantage both existing students and the new students, some of whom may have been some time out of the formal education system. As an alternative 280 places were made available on a direct entry basis to a range of...

Written Answers — Smart Economy: Smart Economy (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Arising from the commitment in Building Ireland's Smart Economy A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal, I announced details of the new regulatory, marketing and co-ordination framework to promote Ireland as a centre for international education on 1 September. The key arrangements are as follows. First, Enterprise Ireland will have responsibility for marketing and promotion of the...

Written Answers — Smart Economy: Smart Economy (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The process to develop a new national strategy for higher education is being led by a high level Strategy Group under the Chairmanship of Dr Colin Hunt. The group has met on eight occasions since its establishment in February 2009. A vibrant responsive higher education system will be crucially important in terms of Ireland's future development and the Strategy Group are cognisant of the need...

Written Answers — Smart Economy: Smart Economy (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The rationale for the introduction of bursaries or other measures to encourage high quality students to undertake priority areas of study would be to address a perceived lack of interest on the part of students in undertaking programmes in particular disciplines. Some €2.5 million per annum is allocated to the Discover Science and Engineering programme, funded by Forfás, to promote the...

Written Answers — Smart Economy: Smart Economy (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government's Framework for Building Ireland's Smart Economy committed to the expansion of summer schools in science and engineering with an emphasis on innovation and commercialisation. As the Deputy may be aware, there is currently a substantial calendar of summer schools in place across higher education institutions, targeted at both second-level and primary level pupils. Summer...

Written Answers — Smart Economy: Smart Economy (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to inform the Deputy that significant progress has been made since December 2008 to enhance the role of ICT in education. The Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal, Building Ireland's Smart Economy, published in 2008 re-iterates Government policy to pursue the investment in school infrastructure, within available resources. The Framework commits to working to enhance the role of...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including the Co. Donegal projects referred to by the Deputy, are now available on my Department's website at www.education.ie. The priority attaching to individual projects is determined by published prioritisation criteria, which were formulated following...

Written Answers — Information and Telecommunications Technology: Information and Telecommunications Technology (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the Taoiseach and I announced a €150 million plan for 'smart schools' on 16 November. Under this scheme €22 million in grants will be provided to primary schools before the end of this year. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school to which he refers will receive funding in the coming weeks under this initiative.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 584 and 585 together. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has asked the local Authority to acquire permanent sites for the schools in question under the Fingal Memorandum Agreement. I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials recently met with the Local Authority to discuss the matter. I am advised that negotiations are ongoing between the relevant...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (24 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the person to whom the Deputy refers, applied to the Teaching Council in August 2009 to have her qualifications assessed. My Department received notification from the Teaching Council in October 2009 that the qualifications had been recognised. The teacher is now recognised in a qualified capacity and salary arrears back dated to 1st September 2009 will issue to her on the...