Results 1,861-1,880 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (10 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 478, 485 and 487 together. The postgraduate diploma in primary education is currently provided by four state-funded Colleges of Education. The issue of providing such courses in the coming year is currently being considered in the context of likely demands in the system and the resources available. A decision on the matter will be communicated to the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (10 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. It is the responsibility of the managerial...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (10 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Dance is included in the strands in the Physical Education curriculum in primary and post primary schools. In addition, students may choose Dance as one of the courses available within the Arts component of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme (LCA). The LCA is taken by some 7% of the student cohort and a maximum of 4 credits from a total of 200 credits in the assessment of the LCA is...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (10 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am providing a list of the schools which are classified as a gaeltacht school in County Mayo, as sought by the Deputy. MAYO 11582M S N DEIRBLE BEAL DEARG BALLINA 12373I S N EACHLEIME BEAL AN ATHA CO MHAIGH EO 12568A SN INBHEAR BARR NA TRA BEAL AN ATHA 12569C S N ROS DUMHACH BEAL ATHA AN FHEADHA CO MHAIGH EO 12626L SN COILL A TSIDHEAIN TUAR MHIC EADAIGH CO MHAIGH EO 13222P SN...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (10 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. The Government took these decisions to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education expenditure, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be totally spared. I fully accept that while these...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (10 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the home tuition scheme provides a grant to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The number of hours sanctioned is related to the individual child's attendance at school. In the case in question, based on the record of school attendance supplied,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (10 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The schools to which the Deputy refers are currently at different stages of the architectural planning process. Designs have been prepared for the school in Ballygarvan and an application for planning permission has been lodged. The further progression of the project is dependent on the receipt of the necessary statutory approvals. The school in Passage West is at an advanced stage of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (10 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the schools to which the Deputy refers have made applications to my Department for large scale capital funding. The applications have been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and both were assigned a Band 1 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (10 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: A reply has issued to the correspondence referred to by the Deputy by the Higher Education- Equity Of Access Unit of my Department.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: One principal retired from a secondary school in Tipperary North Riding in the period from 1 January 2009 to 31 October 2009. This single retirement represents 12.5% of the number of secondary school principals in Tipperary North Riding. It should be noted that this figure is based on the number of secondary schools in Tipperary North Riding rather than by reference to the constituency...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers was recently tendered. The school's Design Team is currently preparing the Tender Report. When this report is completed and submitted to my Department it will be assessed by the Profession 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.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 224 together. Two new school buildings, which will be operated by Co. Kildare Vocational Educational Committee, are being delivered for the schools referred to by the Deputy. One of the buildings is complete and the other is under construction and is due to be completed by the end of this year. The brief for both buildings includes the provision of...

Written Answers — Grangegorman Development Agency: Grangegorman Development Agency (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together. The Grangegorman Development Agency was established under Section 8 of the Grangegorman Development Agency Act 2005. The general aim of the Agency is to oversee the development of the lands at Grangegorman on behalf of the Departments of Education and Science, Health and Children, Dublin Institute of Technology and the Health Services...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers was one of ten projects that I announced in January 2009 to be re-tendered. In order to prepare for tender and to comply with the new form of Government contract, the project was required to submit revised tender and associated documentation. Accordingly, in July following the receipt of compliant revised documentation, the project was authorised to go...

Written Answers — School Grants: School Grants (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy may be aware that I had a constructive meeting with Protestant educational representatives on 21 October. I explained that a simple reversal of the measures taken in Budget 2008 applicable to all Protestant fee-charging schools and determined solely on a denominational criterion was not legally possible. I again made clear that I am prepared to work with the Protestant...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The process of assessing eligibility for third level grants and the organisation, management and payment of student grants are matters for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies seek to ensure students get decisions on their grant applications and are paid as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Adjustments to the arrangements for meeting the Irish language requirements for teachers trained outside the jurisdiction has involved a transfer of responsibilities to the Teaching Council and revised arrangements with the college. I understand that the Teaching Council has been in contact with the college and that the forms will issue shortly.

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Health Service Executive is monitoring; and publishes on a weekly basis, the number of cases of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, including the number of outbreaks within schools. The general position regarding school openings and closures is set out in department circulars 11/95, M29/95, and 107/2007. In relation to this pandemic, to date the consistent advice issued to the schools is that unless...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the school to which he refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band 2 rating. Information on the current school building programme, along with all assessed applications for major capital...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (5 Nov 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is considering a number of broad policy issues relating to the recognition process for second level schools. 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.