Results 3,281-3,300 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Capitation Grants. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I have also received a request for a meeting from the joint management boards and I hope to meet with them some time next week.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The National Development Plan 2007-2013 provides for almost â¬4.5 billion for the school building programme. The allocation for school building in 2009 is â¬581 million. This represents a significant investment in the school building and modernisation programme. The Deputy will appreciate that the climate within which the 2009 budget has been framed is different from that of recent...
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Yes.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: It has been publicised.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I cannot provide the figure off the top of my head and I do not have the figures with me. I can get them for the Deputy.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I guarantee that some of the projects, as such, went back out for tendering because I wanted to get better value for money. Some of the projects will be paid from the 2008 figure. The Deputy will be delighted to hear I am getting back tenders that are 15% and 20% less than they were when previously tendered. I insisted re-tendering take place in order for us to get value for money for the...
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Tammany Hall politics have not been played by us.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: If the Deputy went to the trouble of looking at exactly what happens within the Department, he would have been assured and seen evidence that every project gets a band rating, going from band 1 to band 5. Band 1 means a project is a priority. I want to be clear on this. We have a website that is being updated at the moment and I have instructed my officials that when the website is up and...
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: This begs the question as to whether Deputy Brian Hayes considers there should not be any project teams or designs made.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: We now have the new design.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am on record as stating I am not happy to pay architectural firms 13.5% of the total cost of a building.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I know Deputy Quinn is a member of that profession. I have evidence some people were charging 13.5%.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The generic design is now in place, which will make the process much cheaper, faster and competitive. We are going to move on that issue.
- Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am looking for greater value for money.
- 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 and the decision made to suspend...
- School Staffing. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The important point to make is that I share with Deputy O'Mahony an interest in sport. I participated myself and neither I nor other members of the Government wished to take this decision. Unfortunately, it is worth considering what has happened since 2003. In the 2007-08 school year, the Department paid for 2.05 million hours, or 362,000 days, of substitution cover in primary schools at a...
- School Staffing. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: There are 31,000 primary teachers. My point is that the cost has risen from approximately â¬20 million when it was first introduced to an unbelievable figure of â¬150 million at present.
- School Staffing. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: This is not sustainable and it is very difficult to continue with that level of funding. I ask for support and co-operation.
- School Staffing. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: With due respect to Deputy O'Mahony, I am aware of the voluntarism associated with sport over the years. Having been involved myself, I have seen the amount of time that people put in, as well as the commitment of school teachers throughout this period. The last thing I wish to take away is their goodwill. My point is certain provisions now must be taken on the basis we cannot afford to...
- School Staffing. (4 Nov 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I seek their goodwill and support.