Results 4,161-4,180 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Apparently the matter is very complicated. I refer to schools and ownership of schools. The issue is important and we must address it. The Deputy suggested that because of its ownership, the church can willy-nilly sell a school. However, that does not take into account our lease arrangement with the church for these schools. For an order to sell a school it must be granted leave to sell...
- Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The information disseminated to me from my officials is that we have an ownership on the lease and that orders cannot sell without our release of that lease. I respect the comments of the Deputy and I will have the matter further investigated and communicate with him. At a time of scare resources I must consider the priorities.
- Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am not certain that is a feasible option.
- Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: It is something which may be requested. In fairness, the church is very generous in many ways.
- Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: During the week, I met a priest who offered, for free, a site worth â¬21 million in the middle of one of our large towns.
- Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Yes, at the end of the day.
- Schools Building Projects. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, on 12 February 2009, I made an announcement regarding 43 school projects which will receive approval from my Department to proceed to tender with a view to proceeding to construction this year. I also announced that 25 projects would receive approval to start architectural planning, that is, they will receive approval to appoint a design team and begin work on...
- Schools Building Projects. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy answered his own question when he said this appeared on the website. I was not aware of that and thank him for the information.
- Schools Building Projects. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I was not aware it was on the site. The important phrase is "to be cleared".
- Schools Building Projects. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The important point for me is that I cleared the final draft with my officials on 11 February. That afternoon I did an interview with RTE which was to be held over for 12 February. I cleared the final list with my officials on 11 February and announced it officially on 12 February. I do not know what appeared. The process involves meetings with officials who show a range of schools on the...
- Schools Building Projects. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Several schools were announced but funding was not available. This time I had adequate funds. I made sure that the commitments entered into would be honoured, the schools were announced and the reaction was very good. I do not accept what the Deputy says about cynicism. The process in the Department will be open, above board and decisions will be made on merit and need. In 2009 the most...
- Schools Building Projects. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: The project for Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair involves the provision of a new physical education hall and is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. This project has a band rating of 4.1 under my Department's prioritisation criteria for major capital projects. Once it has been approved to go to construction, it is intended that my Department will be co-financing the project with the...
- Schools Building Projects. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Both Deputy McGinley and I have served here for a long time and flattery will get one everywhere most times but I fear Deputy Brian Hayes will say, "Band four", and I would be political if I gave the go-ahead for this project. I am very conscious that this project has the involvement of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, which is prepared to provide 40% of the cost,...
- Schools Building Projects. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: Yes, I am due to visit Mayo and Donegal in the next month or so and will ensure that school is put on my itinerary.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I have consistently said 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. At the time of the budget I...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: I still hold to the claim that 200 posts will go in the primary sector. All the indications my Department and I have suggest that the net effect will be that 1,100 teachers will be taken out and demographics will show that 900 teachers will come into the system. I might go through with the Deputy the various processes involved before we can come to the final result. We will not know the...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: In the primary sector.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: No, overall.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: In the current situation, I will not make any prognosis on what might happen. As of now, the budget position stands in terms of the funding available to me. If the economy deteriorates further, I am not sure what impact that will have. Please do not hold me to making prognoses. On foot of the information available and on the basis of the budget allocation given to me, I do not envisage...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (26 Feb 2009)
Batt O'Keeffe: On language support, I am conscious that certain schools have taken in a high number of non-Irish nationals and that in no way should we penalise those schools. We have gone back to pre-2007 levels of language support and, as it were, cut it to two language support teachers, but where schools can show a high incidence of non-nationals who require language support, the Department will look at...