Results 5,041-5,060 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Property Transfers. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: There are two points to remember in this regard. The Committee of Public Accounts examined this and, at the end of the day, its view was that the best deal possible in the circumstances was obtained by the State. The Deputy conveniently forgets that the State had already decided it was going to put a redress scheme in place before there was any view that the churches should make a...
- Property Transfers. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I answered this question for Deputy Quinn on the last occasion. At that time, I looked at a system that was working well, which has served us well and with which parents seem to be happy. I must ask myself, in terms of transferring these schools into State ownership, whether I am better off putting money into capital resources, building newââ
- Property Transfers. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: We have. The Deputy is in a generous mood this afternoon. I am not sure others would match that generosity.
- Departmental Expenditure. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The secretary general and senior officials from my Department met with the special group on Wednesday, 18 March 2009. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the work of the special group until it has completed its work and submitted it to the Minister for Finance, who will report to Government on the matter.
- Departmental Expenditure. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: We meet regularly with the education partners and did so in the context of the last budget in terms of funding. We are in regular contact with them. The secretary general and senior officials from my Department liaise on a regular basis with the education partners. We are apprised of some of the issues. I have met with principal teacher organisations and have listened to their proposals....
- Departmental Expenditure. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I made my position clear on a radio programme last week when I instanced that secretaries general within the various Departments had taken significant cuts in their salaries. I also indicated that people who held similar positions within the education sector should, perhaps, consider doing likewise.
- Departmental Expenditure. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am not sure. The remit of the review group is to report to the Minister for Finance who will then present a report to Government. Obviously, I will be party to the submission brought before Cabinet.
- School Curriculum. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Education Act 1998 sets out the legislative framework for the provision of education to all pupils. There is no specific reference in that Act to English language support. In my view, language support must be approached from the perspective not of legal imperative, but of enabling pupils for whom English is not the mother tongue to access the curriculum and participate fully in the...
- School Curriculum. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: On the first question, the reduction in posts will be approximately 550. This will be achieved through a combination of lower levels of immigration and the capping of language support at a maximum of two extra teachers per school, with some alleviation for the position of those schools where there is a significant concentration of newcomer pupils as a proportion of the overall enrolment....
- School Curriculum. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I have assured the schools in question that they will be able to make a special case. It has been suggested that additional language teachers will be allocated to particular schools on the basis of nods and winks, etc. Before 2006, the number of language support teachers who could be allocated to each school was capped at two. I have made it clear I want to ensure that schools that have...
- School Curriculum. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: We have put in place an independent appeals mechanism to ensure that appeals can be made if difficulties arise.
- School Curriculum. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: My intention, when dealing with the numbers of additional language support teachers that could be put in place, was to be open and transparent. I did not want to be accused of operating on the basis of nods and winks, or political interference. I was keen to put in place a clear benchmark for the appointment of additional language support teachers. That is what has been put in place....
- School Curriculum. (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: We have gone beyond the remit of the original question. It is important for me to make clear, in case people think we are denuding schools of all language support teachers, that our schools will continue to avail of the services of approximately 1,400 language support teachers. Approximately 500 other teachers will be in part-time positions within the language support system. I can inform...
- Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 68 together. My Department is responsible for the operation of the largest and probably the most complex payrolls in the country. There are approximately 84,000 personnel being paid on a fortnightly basis on these payrolls. These include teachers and special needs assistants employed in primary, secondary and Community/Comprehensive schools. The...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I would like to reassure the Deputy that there will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability (MGLD). Teacher allocations to schools typically increase or...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: There has been ongoing engagement and discussion with the relevant education partners involving me and/or my senior officials concerning general education matters and specific budgetary matters, since the budget announcements last October. To be clear there is no doubt that the budget measures concerning staffing will have an impact. There is simply no easy way to control or reduce public...
- Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, I am currently finalising a review of policy options relating to the introduction of a form of student contribution for third level fees. There are many complex and competing considerations including costs, affordability and means testing arrangements that will fall to be taken into account by the Government in considering the available options. It is my intention to...
- Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: A total of 25 new primary schools and two new post-primary schools were recognised by my Department in 2008, and it is proposed to recognise a further two schools at post-primary level in 2009. I should explain that a full review of the criteria and procedures for the recognition and establishment of new primary schools is currently being undertaken by the Commission on School Accommodation....
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: As indicated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 524 on 10 March 2009, my Department provides grant aid towards the provision of temporary school accommodation to the management authorities of education providers where it is established that a need for such temporary accommodation exists. School authorities are not barred from taking out mortgages to build accommodation. However,...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (25 Mar 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 230 together. The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years, with the appointment of 6,000 extra teachers in the primary sector alone since 2002. In considering the need to provide extra resource and other teachers to schools in recent years, the Government could have decided to make children...