Results 5,541-5,560 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am aware of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy. The Government's commitment to education is clear both from its track record over the past decade in providing substantial additional resources, most notably extra teachers to meet previously unmet needs and from the programme the Government set for itself when it came into office. A lot has changed in the past year and the first...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of â¬302 million in the education budget for 2009, in making the announcement of the Budget measures for education I stressed that tough choices had to be made in meeting the needs of the education sector in these difficult times. The resources available to the Department have meant that these choices have been very challenging. The decision made to suspend the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am aware of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy. The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure could not be totally...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The process of reviewing income limits for the standard and Special Rate of Maintenance Grants has been completed in my Department and will apply for the 2008/09 academic year. The current income limit for the Special Rate has been substantially increased by 11.6% from â¬18,055 to â¬20,147. I am committed to ongoing improvements in the student support schemes such as increasing the income...
- Written Answers — School Management: School Management (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am aware of the concerns raised by the bodies referred to by the Deputy. However we are dealing with an economic situation of unprecedented difficulty. The Government has a collective duty to respond to this and to take very difficult decisions in the national interest. In doing this we have attempted to afford some shelter to the education sector but given the scale of public expenditure...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 542, 544 and 545 together. My Department is aware of the accommodation needs of Celbridge, Naas and Maynooth. As part of the programme initiated by my Developing Areas Unit in 2008, projects to meet both the immediate and medium term needs are completed, or are nearing completion, in all three locations. My Department will continue to monitor the accommodation...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 543, 546, 547 and 552 together. Under the current National Development Plan (2007-2013), a total of almost â¬4.5 billion has been allocated to the school building programme. The allocation for school building in 2009 is â¬581 million. Although this is a slight reduction over the 2008 allocation of â¬586 million, it represents a significant investment in the...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to advise the Deputy, that the proposed new school at Kill, is one of the 25 schools listed in my announcement on 29 September 2008 regarding school building projects to proceed to tender and construction. The current position regarding this school's building project is that the Stage 2b documentation (Detailed Design & Bill of Quantities) was received in my Department's offices...
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 550 and 551 together. The specific information requested by the Deputy is not readily available within my Department and would take an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. The staffing allocation of primary schools for the academic year 2009/10 cannot be determined until the allocation process has fully concluded. There is nothing exceptional...
- Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 553 and 554 together. The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure could not be totally spared....
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 558 to 570, inclusive, together. The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure could not be totally...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure could not be totally spared. Prudent management of the Government finances is...
- Fee-paying Schools. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 113 together. I wish to re-emphasise that there are no changes proposed in respect of the Protestant block grant. Protestant fee-charging schools receive and will continue to receive the Protestant block grant, which in the current school year amounts to â¬6.25 million. This payment covers capitation, tuition and boarding grants. The grant is...
- Fee-paying Schools. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: It was with no great relish that the grant was taken away. I appreciate that it will cause difficulties for some Protestant schools. I realise there are 21 Protestant fee-paying schools and I also realise that the existing block grant is quite substantial. A capitation grant of â¬39.36 is paid to 94% of pupils. A tuition grant of â¬274 per pupil is paid to 94% of pupils. The tuition...
- Fee-paying Schools. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Deputy Hayes asked me if I would meet the Protestant bishops. I have agreed to meet with them and a date has been arranged for a meeting. I hope it will take place within the next two weeks. I wish to clarify a matter which I think is important. The free education scheme was introduced in 1967 to facilitate the provision of second level education for all young people. Prior to that, all...
- Fee-paying Schools. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I assure Deputy Quinn that my advice from the Attorney General's office is that it would be extremely difficult to defend it.
- Fee-paying Schools. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: We must remember that the secondary education committee dispenses the block grant.
- Fee-paying Schools. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: It is a matter for it to decide where is the greatest need.
- Fee-paying Schools. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: On Deputy Crawford's question, the one thing I want to ensure is that diversity exists. I recognise the special position of the Protestant church but also that its schools are receiving a block grant of â¬6.25 million that no other fee-paying schools are receiving.
- Fee-paying Schools. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: That signifies there is acceptance of the diversity and that, as far as we are concerned, we want to maintain the block grant to ensure the schools in receipt thereof can survive and grow.