Results 6,821-6,840 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Schools Building Projects. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Yes, I will.
- School Staffing. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: A total of 850 primary teachers have retired on pension to date in 2009 and the corresponding figure for secondary, community and comprehensive schools is 738. Within the overall total, 253 principals have retired from primary schools while 68 principals have retired from secondary, community and comprehensive schools. Deputy principal retirements total 260 of which 208 were primary and 52...
- School Staffing. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: There is no doubt that the numbers are much higher than in previous years, and we carried out a survey to find out why. It showed that approximately half of those retiring gave "planned retirement" as their main reason, one third highlighted concerns about future taxation of their lump sum and the impact of recent levies and the remainder tended to cite general reasons such as lifestyle...
- School Staffing. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I do not appear to have those figures although I have costings for teachers in various circumstances.
- School Staffing. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I shall provide that information for the Deputy. As regards the moratorium, as he knows we have a system in place whereby a principal or deputy principal can be replaced. That is a special concession that does not apply to other sectors of the public service. We ask schools to prioritise and reorganise posts that cannot be filled. Some 50% of all teachers have a post of responsibility, it...
- School Staffing. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: That has changed totally as the Deputy knows - it is a new regime. The percentage of teachers retiring, therefore, is very small and we hope that given the circumstances that prevail schools will be able to juxtapose various posts to ensure all the important elements will be reorganised and people are transferred, as appropriate. I do not envisage looking for a derogation in this particular...
- School Staffing. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am not concerned, as there are enough posts of responsibility. There is enough flexibility within the schools so that they can reorganise, and it will be successful.
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: My colleagues in Government and I recognise the importance of ensuring that students from a Protestant background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos. I have met representatives of the Church of Ireland, the Grand Orange Lodge and a rural Protestant fee-paying school. I will meet representatives of the Protestant education sector tomorrow. The representations I have...
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy so as to ensure he understands exactly what is happening. I have treated the Protestant bishops and any other group who have met me with the respect and fairness due to them and certainly the equity that was desired. This answer has been cleared by the Attorney General. He believes that to continue the grant that was available would be unconstitutional...
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The block grant was agreed between-----
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: -----Donogh O'Malley and the Protestant churches. That block grant continues to this day. It is important that I further advise the Deputy that the grant that is made available to the Protestant schools amounts to â¬645 per pupil. The grant available to ordinary second level schools is â¬345. They are in a more privileged position.
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy has accused me of putting out misinformation. When I took away this grant, the Protestant bishops agreed with me that they had â¬2 million in the education committee's coffers that was not spent and that was derived from this grant. In the interim period I asked them to use that money to defray any difficulties that exist and come back to me with a scheme that would look at the...
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Does the Deputy want a Minister to allow an issue that is not constitutional to continue?
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am not prepared to allowed to allow something that is contrary to the Constitution-----
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: If I get that advice from the current Attorney General on that basis, then I cannot-----
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy should not ask me to do that. I refer the Deputy back to an occasion when the then Minister, Deputy Martin, was challenged by the Deputy's party on an issue in the health sector. Those in the Deputy's party asked him how long he knew that an issue was unconstitutional before he acted. Is that what the Deputy wants me to do? Does he want me to act as a Minister in an...
- Grant Payments. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am not prepared to do that for anyone. I am very conscious of the difficulties that pertain to rural Protestant schools. I have pointed out to the Protestant clergy that I am prepared to talk to them and to target and focus. I want them to come back with their suggestions as to how that focus can be properly assigned.
- Schools Building Projects. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 117 and 154 together. My Department's total budget in 2009 for primary, post-primary and third level capital is â¬841 million. Of this, just under â¬614 million is in respect of primary and post-primary schools and just under â¬200 million is in respect of the third level sector. In respect of third level sector capital, at the end of September a...
- Schools Building Projects. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Before responding to Deputy Hayes, I apologise to Deputy Quinn for providing him with an incorrect figure. To clarify, there are 151, not 159, additional classrooms. I understand the number of existing applications to the schools building programme is in the region of 1,200. I will get the precise figure for Deputy Hayes in due course. Regarding the diversion of funding, it should be noted...
- Schools Building Projects. (20 Oct 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: There are four.