Results 1,961-1,980 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: 84 appeals in regard to mainstream posts in the 2009-2010 school year were submitted to the primary staffing appeal board to date. 21 of these appeals were successful and resulted in the allocation of an equivalent number of mainstream teaching posts. Four of the unsuccessful applicant schools were subsequently allocated a post by my Department based on their projected enrolment for...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The report and recommendations for a Traveller education strategy was launched by my colleague the then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin, in November 2006. The report covers all aspects of Traveller Education from pre-school right through to further and higher education within a lifelong learning context. The primary aim of the strategy is to ensure a quality,...

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The renewed programme for Government commits the Government to maintain language support funding to schools and guarantee that the extra language support assistants will also be available in schools where more than 50% of pupils do not speak English as a first language. The level of extra teaching support provided in respect of language support to any school is determined by the numbers of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will appreciate that while some costs in the renewed programme for Government can be identified with a degree of certainty the costs of other elements will depend on their precise implementation. The specific education measures include a commitment to no further increase in the pupil teacher ratio for the lifetime of the Government, 500 teaching posts over the next three years,...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Ensuring we get value for money for the taxpayer is obviously a priority for me. We are continuing to work to find savings where possible. We are looking at new ways of carrying out functions. For example, work is ongoing on increasing the use of shared services and shared procurement arrangements. This is also an issue I will be examining closely in considering the Higher Education...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the commitment in the renewed programme for Government is to develop, in consultation with stakeholders, a costed multi-annual plan to implement some priority aspects of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, focusing on measurable, practical progress in education and health services for children with special needs. It is not possible...

Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate educational intervention and supports for children with special educational needs, including those with an intellectual disability, continues to be a key Government priority. The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all pupils, including those with an intellectual disability, can have access to an education...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Information regarding enrolments in Protestant schools whose pupils may qualify for assistance from the Secondary Education Committee by way of the Protestant block grant is shown in the attached table. There are 26 schools with a Protestant ethos in the State, 21 of which charge fees. No fee-charging school, regardless of denomination, receives direct funding from my Department to cover...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

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 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the student maintenance grant schemes, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for financial assistance where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to residence, means, age, nationality and previous academic attainment. For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early 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 Department's capital budget. The proposed building project will be considered...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers 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 Department's capital budget. The proposed building project will be...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 585 and 627 together. I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate educational intervention and supports for children with special educational needs continues to be a key Government priority. This is reflected in the fact that my Department was the only Department other than social welfare that got an increase this year. I assume that the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers 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 Department's capital budget. The proposed building project will be...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

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 including the provision of a special needs unit. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 1 rating. Information in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The above school in County Meath referred to by the Deputy 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 in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

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. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 1.2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers was one of the projects announced in January 2009 to go to tender and construction. The Stage 2b for the proposed new school is expected from the design team shortly. Following the receipt and clearance of the Stage 2b submission the project will be progressed to the next stage i.e. invitation to tender.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The tender report for the proposed extension/refurbishment project at the school in question was received in my Department earlier this month. It is currently being assessed by the professional and technical staff of the building unit. Once the tender report has been assessed and provided there are no issues arising therefrom, the school will be authorised to proceed to the construction stage.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (20 Oct 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The budget measures will impact on individual schools in different ways depending on whether enrolment is rising or declining and the degree to which any one school has more teachers than it is entitled to under the allocation processes. In terms of the position at individual school level the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by my Department is the pupil enrolment...