Results 4,521-4,540 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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 €120,000 for a classroom rather than a prefab....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The proposed building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department received an application for emergency funding from the school in question. This application is currently under consideration and a decision will be reached very shortly. The school authorities will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that I met with representatives of the Church of Ireland Board of Education, led by Archbishop John Neill, on 13 November last. The meeting provided me with an opportunity to explain at first hand the context for the budget changes that were of concern to the Bishops and the schools serving the Church of Ireland and other minority churches. In the course of the...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: To qualify for the Special Rate of maintenance grant, an applicant must qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant in respect of the 2008/09 academic year. In addition, total reckonable income must not exceed a specified amount, which is €20,147 in the 2007 tax year. On the operative date, 31st December 2007 for the 2008/09 academic year, the reckonable income must include one of the...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for emergency funding from the school in question is currently under consideration and a decision will be reached shortly. The school authorities will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The management structure for the proposed new school to which the Deputy refers is under consideration in my Department and a decision will be taken in this matter in due course.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (11 Feb 2009)

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.The various impacts at school level were included in the...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department makes grants available to schools for works required as a result of unforeseen emergencies of a capital nature that may arise during the school year. It is open to the school in question to apply to my Department for such grant aid. Any application received will be assessed and the school authorities advised of the outcome.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 to 287, inclusive, together. The Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) was introduced in 1998 and projects with a total value of €865 million have been approved to date under the four cycles of the programme. A call for proposals in relation to the fifth cycle of the programme, which I announced in January with funding of €300...

Written Answers — Departmental Circulars: Departmental Circulars (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The number of circulars produced by my Department for the past five years are as follows: Year Number 2004 135 2005 111 2006 166 2007 111 2008 115 For the years in question circulars were printed and posted to schools, VEC's and Third Level Institutions. The vast majority of these circulars were printed in the Department. The amount spent by my Department on posting circulars to...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Student Support Bill, which was published in February 2008 provides the legislative framework for the reform of the administration of student grants and the amalgamation of the existing four student grant schemes into a single unified scheme which will be provided for by way of regulation. The Bill is part of an overall programme of legislative and administrative reform, which will...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the main emphasis in 2008 was on providing sufficient school places in developing areas such as Portlaoise, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country. In this context, a new 8 classroom school was provided in September 2008 for Gaelscoil Portlaoise. A new 16 classroom school...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: Currently there are 282 prefabricated units being rented by 116 schools in Cork city and County. The total annual rental cost amounts to €4 million. Rental of these units commenced as follows: Year 2008/9 46 2007/8 93 2006/7 60 2005/6 27 The rental of the remaining units commenced during the period 1999 to 2005. In general, the Department approves the purchase or rental of...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (12 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project referred to by the Deputy 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 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 the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (12 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The School to which the Deputy refers applied for a large scale extension project. The long term accommodation needs of the school have been determined as an 8 classroom school. 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...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (12 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Institutes of Technology are statutory bodies established under the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006. Under the terms of these Acts, the governance and day-to-day management of the Institutes, including procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying and harassment, are matters for which the Governing Bodies and the Management of the Institutes are responsible. All...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (12 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a third-level admissions scheme for students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme is operated by eight Higher Education Institutions — UCD, UCC, NUIM, NUIG, TCD, UL, DCU and DIT. These institutions provide third-level places on reduced Leaving Certificate points to students who meet specified socio-economic criteria and...