Results 2,841-2,860 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since its introduction in 2004 the summer works scheme has been a key component of the programme of funding maintenance and smaller scale capital works in schools. More than 3,000 projects costing in excess of €300 million have been completed under the scheme since 2004. With such a large number of projects completed in the past few years, the particular emphasis in 2008 was on providing...

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The summer works scheme has been a significant success and has resulted in a substantial programme of improvement works to schools at primary level throughout the country. I am also examining the possibility——

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am introducing a new summer works scheme for 2009. It will be open to schools to make an application.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applications submitted since 2008 which were not dealt with in that year will be considered——

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——as part of the 2009 remit to facilitate applicants who have gone to the expense of producing reports.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have outlined the large amount of expenditure on major capital works and the summer works scheme in schools. However, all primary schools get an annual minor works grant which can be used at their discretion to carry out small-scale works. This grant has been paid in each school year since its introduction in 1996 and 1997. In November 2006, the Government increased funding for the minor...

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since then, the Government has invested some €200 million under the programme. This investment has resulted in pupil to computer ratios of one computer to every nine primary school children and one computer to every seven post-primary students in 2005, when the latest census was undertaken.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: All schools were invited to apply for networking grants and more than €23 million has been provided to schools since 2004 to upgrade their networking capabilities.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Schools have been given broadband connectivity under the schools broadband access programme, which my Department has implemented with the support of the Telecommunications and Internet Federation. The National Centre for Technology in Education has provided a programme of continuing professional development for teachers, with more than 144,000 training places having been availed of by...

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have arranged to meet all of the major players in the ICT industry. I have set up appointments with Hewlett Packard, Dell, Apple, Microsoft and anybody else to discuss how we can enhance the whole ICT programme in schools.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As I have outlined, there have been significant increases in primary school funding——

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——in recent years and I am committed to increasing funding as resources permit. It is easy for the Opposition to make calls for continuous increases in funding without having the responsibility for determining from where the money will come.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tax revenue is down significantly and Government expenditure has to reflect this reality.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The job of Government is to manage the competing demands for available resources——

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: This is particularly important in the current volatile and challenging economic environment. What is required now is strong leadership through prudent management of the economy and the public finances.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Just last week the Government had to take decisive action to protect the Irish banking system.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Likewise, the Government's decision to bring forward the budget to next week is another strong signal that it is taking decisive action now to set about stabilising and restoring balance to the public finances and setting out the spending plans for 2009 earlier than originally planned. Through sensible and balanced management of the economy, this Government has ensured that the people of...

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am sorry. They spend too much time on administration. Does the Senator realise that principal teachers, depending on the size of the school, have 14 to 21 days off for administration?

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: No. It is a fact that this is being made available to them at present.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: People are saying they have no time off. The agreement we have with them is that they are being made available to them.