Results 4,401-4,420 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 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 phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 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 will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers is 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 will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 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 will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the...
- Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested in relation to consultancy firms used during 2008 is currently being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible. As consultancy data is compiled in my Department on a quarterly basis, it will not be possible to provide details of consultancy firms engaged in early 2009 until data relating to the first quarter has been compiled. The relevant details in...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I assume the Deputy is referring to the scheme of performance related remuneration that applies to the grades of Deputy/Assistant Secretaries and equivalent grades. Awards are made on the basis of recommendations made by the Committee for Performance Awards. The Committee membership comprises the Secretary General to the Government, the Secretary General, Public Service Management &...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The terms of the career break and job sharing schemes for teachers remain unchanged. The decision to approve an application under either of these schemes is a matter for the authorities of the employing school.
- Written Answers — Higher Education: Higher Education (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: My Department operates an Internationalisation Register which sets out programmes approved for the purpose of access to work by students who are citizens from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. Under the immigration regime, such students will only be given access to work if they are attending full time programmes on the Register. The criteria for inclusion require that the programme be...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 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 phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on...
- Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 642 and 643 together. 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 scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting an educational placement and...
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: When I became Minister for Education and Science I saw there was a plethora of grant schemes. I saw also the Comptroller and Auditor General's report that said the Minister should be more focused in the way grants are allocated. It was suggested that one grant system for a school would be more appropriate as that would remove the bureaucracy in the school and in the Department. However,...
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: That is why it must be ensured in-service training is provided for all teachers in order to ensure the quality of teaching. I refer to the substitution issue, which is important. With regard to costings, the substitution scheme was demand-led and it was becoming unsustainable. Prior to 2003, no supervision or substitution scheme was in place. The scheme was introduced in 2003 and it cost...
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: A number of prefabs are old and need to be replaced or refurbished but only 5.5% of total investment in schools relates to prefabs. When I took up office, I thought we should move away from using prefabs and I introduced another scheme for boards of management. If a board of management erects a permanent structure, I will allocate â¬120,000 for a classroom rather than a prefab....
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I welcome the debate and I thank Members for the constructive manner in which it was conducted. I am delighted that Senator Norris, a very able, astute and sensible Senator is a strong advocate for education and I enjoyed his contribution. In the limited time available to me, I will respond to questions asked but I wish also to refer to the financial situation and the difficulties the...
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Senator should hold on a minute.
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I hear people talk about the conditions in schools and the difficulty within classrooms, yet what we are trying to do with the building programme is twofold. We are creating a situation in which young people can be educated better, where there is a better learning environment and there can be better learning outcomes overall. That is the whole purpose of the exercise.
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I will deal with the programme for international student achievement, PISA, surveys. Irish 15 year olds have consistently achieved among the highest scores of countries surveyed in literacy. In 2006 we were sixth overall and we were second only to Finland in the European Union. Irish student achievements in science in 2006 were significantly above the OECD averageââ
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: ââand their scores in mathematics was at the OECD average. They outperformed students in OECD and European countries where class sizes are lower than in Ireland. It is important that we make that point. I wish also to deal with unqualified teachers because it is an important issue. The House will be aware that at one point there were approximately 600 such teachers. It is my...
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: When teachers graduate from training colleges this year it is important for boards of management to realise that it is the policy of the Department of Education and Science that only in exceptional circumstances should they recruit unqualified teachers. Anybody who reads the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General would say that in terms of disadvantage we should focus funding on real...
- Seanad: Education Matters: Statements (10 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate and, in particular, to outline the key role for education in driving Ireland's economic recovery. Our current economic challenges drive home the critical importance of investing in the protection of our future competitive advantage. As well as dealing with the current financial crisis, we must also plan for the future. We must ensure...