Results 5,001-5,020 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (24 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: 2057The curriculum in schools is devised on the basis that ICT is not a subject but rather a tool to be integrated into the teaching and learning of all subjects. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has developed an ICT framework which sets out a structured approach to ICT in curriculum and assessment. It identifies the objectives and learning outcomes which students should...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: There was no specific library service for children with special educational needs. Information concerning funding to local authorities for the provision of services to schools follows. The local authority librarians selected, purchased, and delivered books to primary schools, which provided a lending and reference service to pupils. It was a matter for the individual local authorities,...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1099 and 1101 together. I have consistently said that 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...
- Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (24 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The position is that applications have been received from three higher education institutions for designation as Universities; Waterford Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology. The issue of university designation does not just affect the institutions and the regions from which applications have been received; it also impacts on the future...
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 39 together. The estimated rental cost for temporary accommodation for primary and post-primary schools in 2009 will be approximately â¬48 million. The rental of accommodation relates not only to prefabricated accommodation, but also to a number of permanent buildings which are used as schools. I have asked my Department to compile a list as...
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I was not long in this office before Deputy Quinn first brought this matter to my attention and I was concerned at the level of funding being allocated to that particular area. I was of the view that it needed to be restructured and reviewed. I am doing precisely what Deputy Hayes is asking me to do. This group of experts is in contact with the 26 suppliers and looking at the length of...
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: There are two issues here. The cost of temporary accommodation has actually come down. It is now less than â¬100,000, when four or five months ago it was over â¬120,000.
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: That is for new accommodation, and it is falling further. I agree with the Deputy and I am looking for better value for money. Regarding the expert group, I want to get full control of this so that I can have a total assessment of what exactly we can do. The consultants are experts in the field and will be looking for the precise value for money the Deputy is seeking. I want to let them...
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I do not know this, and I would prefer to give the Deputy accurate information on the name of the company as well as the costs involved. The Deputy asked me about the purchase and getting a proper pricing structure. I am already doing that. There has been a significant reduction in the price. We are now forcing everyââ
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: In the purchase. We will purchase anything we have for over three years rather than rent. That is a complete reversal of the policy we had.
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: We are getting value for money and are negotiating the prices downwards. The figure has gone from â¬120 million to under â¬100 million and I hope it will continue to fall. I accept the criticism made. Something happened in the past and a series of rentals developed. It is important for me to get an aggregate and an appropriate response to see the extent of the rental and the cost and how...
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I take issue with that because we are seeing significant reductions already.
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy must understand boards of management are there on a voluntary basis. This practice of rented accommodation has built up over the years. Boards of management did not say to companies they had been paying rent for a certain number of years and that they should be in full ownership now.
- School Accommodation. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Once and for all, I am putting a structure in place so that, into the future, those we rent for a significant amount of time will come into our ownership, that we cease paying rent and that we get much better value for money. By the end of the year, I will have a comprehensive programme in place which will save the type of significant funds about which the Deputy spoke.
- Third Level Fees. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The issue of the re-introduction of third level fees, to which the Deputy refers, should be viewed in the context of the wider funding of higher education. The Government is investing unprecedented levels of public funding in higher education. In 2008 some â¬2 billion was invested in our higher education sector. In contributing to the achievement of national policy goals for social and...
- Third Level Fees. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I have no specific date for brining the matter to Cabinet.
- Third Level Fees. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I will bring it very shortly. I want to finalise a number of issues regarding the finality of the report and I will put it before my Cabinet colleagues as soon as it is completed. That is the answer to the Deputy's question. Regarding this matter, the Cabinet asked me to furnish it with a report on student commitment, which will look at fees, loans, a combination of the two, means testing...
- Third Level Fees. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: No, I am not. I am not spinning it at all. In fact, I have not discussed the matter with the Minister for Finance, Deputy Lenihan at all yet, in any detail, so there could not be any open warfare between the two of us. My job is to provide the report for Government and then let it take a decision on when or if any fees or a combination of loans and fees should be introduced. I have...
- Third Level Fees. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am glad to see there is a divide between Deputy Hayes' party and the Labour Party.
- Third Level Fees. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I will clarify the last section of the Deputy's contribution because what he said is not what I actually said. On the "Morning Ireland" radio programme I said that certain people in universities were receiving a salary which was on a par with Secretarys General and that they should follow the example set by Secretarys General in terms of pay. That is exactly what I said. There is also a...