Results 5,461-5,480 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together. As the Deputies will be aware, a significant number of sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, 2004 have been commenced, principally those establishing the National Council for Special Education and those promoting an inclusive approach to the education of children with special educational needs....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions were outlined in the Budget day announcements and included the abolition of a number of specialist grants for primary and post-primary schools. In the case of primary schools,...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The net pay allocation for teachers' salaries and pensions will increase by almost €300m in 2009 as a result of a combination of pay increases, increased pension costs, increased enrolment in 2009 and the full year costs of the salaries of extra teachers appointed in September 2008. An additional €40m has also been allocated for the continued growth in the provision for special needs in...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the Deputy is referring to a primary school in this instance. I regard comments being made from whatever quarter about schools turning away pupils as premature, alarmist and irresponsible. I can only conclude that such statements are motivated by a desire to create pressure for a change in relation to the decisions the Government had to take in relation to school staffing....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The budget measures will mean that the level of language support will be reduced from a maximum of six extra teachers per school to a maximum of two teachers per school, as was the case before 2007. However, the ongoing requirement for current levels of language support teachers in schools should also start to reduce in line with lower levels of immigration and in line with improvements in...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) which is administered by NEPS. NEPS does not keep waiting lists for assessments of children but in common with other...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: This Government's continued prioritisation of education over the last 11 years is evidenced from our investment in 2009 of €9.6 billion — over treble what it was in 1997. The increase of €302m in the Education budget for 2009 is therefore a real achievement in the current economic climate. Education is one of only three Government Departments to have increased funding in 2009. The...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, due to current economic constraints, the Government has had to make extremely difficult decisions and choices across all public services and education is no different. There is an inescapable fact that pay constitutes the bulk of current expenditure on education and therefore measures impacting on the teaching resources available to schools were necessary. The funding...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the Education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions included the decision to discontinue the annual funding of €97,000 that my Department made available to the Centre for Talented Youth (CTYI) at Dublin City University. While it...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government's commitment to education is clear both from its track record over the past decade in providing substantial additional resources, most notably extra teachers to meet previously unmet needs and from the programme the Government set for itself when it came into office. A lot has changed in the past year and the first and foremost imperative is that we stabilise the public...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's allocation of € 9.6 billion in fact represents an increase of over €300m, or a 3% increase on 2008. This amount represents 5.1% of the forecasted GDP for 2009, an increase of 0.5% on the 2007 position. It should be noted Education and Science was one of only three Government Departments to have increased funding for 2009 which reflects the Government's continued...

Written Answers — Third Level Grants: Third Level Grants (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 154 together. The decision on eligibility for student maintenance grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority, either the local authority or VEC, as appropriate. The appeal provisions in place for social welfare recipients are the same as those for all grant applicants. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126, 129, 130, 134 and 144 together. As I made clear during the lengthy debate in the House last week 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...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The recent OECD Education at a Glance report shows that the Irish education system is performing strongly and that the outcomes achieved are significant when compared with our OECD and EU counterparts. The report shows that, between 2000 and 2005, in real terms (allowing for inflation), total public and private spending increased by 52% at primary, second and further education levels....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128, 135, 493 and 522 together. As the Deputies will be aware, the Government has had to make extremely difficult decisions and choices across all public services and education is no different. There is an inescapable fact that pay constitutes the bulk of current expenditure on education, and therefore measures impacting on the teaching resources available to...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 153 and 490 together. The budget measures will mean that the level of language support will be reduced from a maximum of six extra teachers per school to a maximum of two teachers per school, as was the case before 2007. However, the ongoing requirement for current levels of language support teachers in schools should also start to reduce in line with...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In recent years, my Department has adopted a policy of devolving much greater authority to local school management authorities to manage and deliver smaller building projects in their schools. This has allowed officials in my Department to concentrate on delivering larger scale projects, while also ensuring that the school authorities can use their local knowledge to manage projects...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are currently 1 AP, 1 HEO and 0.5 EO within the ICT Policy Unit of my Department assigned to work on the Schools Broadband Access Programme. The staff report to a Principal Officer who is also responsible for my Department's ICT in Schools Programme. As the Deputy may be aware, this Programme is being undertaken in partnership with industry in the context of a Government — IBEC/TIF...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 556 and 557 together. The Deputy will be aware of the Government's commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. This facilitates access to individualised...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I regard comments being made from whatever quarter about schools turning away pupils as premature, alarmist and irresponsible. I can only conclude that such statements are motivated by a desire to create pressure for a change in relation to the decisions the Government had to take in relation to school staffing. I regard it as reprehensible that any school might seek to use children as...