Results 6,061-6,080 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have arranged to meet all of the major players in the ICT industry. I have set up appointments with Hewlett Packard, Dell, Apple, Microsoft and anybody else to discuss how we can enhance the whole ICT programme in schools.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As I have outlined, there have been significant increases in primary school funding——

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——in recent years and I am committed to increasing funding as resources permit. It is easy for the Opposition to make calls for continuous increases in funding without having the responsibility for determining from where the money will come.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tax revenue is down significantly and Government expenditure has to reflect this reality.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The job of Government is to manage the competing demands for available resources——

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: This is particularly important in the current volatile and challenging economic environment. What is required now is strong leadership through prudent management of the economy and the public finances.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Just last week the Government had to take decisive action to protect the Irish banking system.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Likewise, the Government's decision to bring forward the budget to next week is another strong signal that it is taking decisive action now to set about stabilising and restoring balance to the public finances and setting out the spending plans for 2009 earlier than originally planned. Through sensible and balanced management of the economy, this Government has ensured that the people of...

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am sorry. They spend too much time on administration. Does the Senator realise that principal teachers, depending on the size of the school, have 14 to 21 days off for administration?

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: No. It is a fact that this is being made available to them at present.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: People are saying they have no time off. The agreement we have with them is that they are being made available to them.

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: On the question of grants and running costs in schools, in 2001 a 300 pupil school got £52,000 towards its running costs. In 2008, a school with 300 pupils gets €100,000. I have indicated clearly in the Dáil that I would like to see the capitation fee for schools increased. It is my intention, as Minister for Education and Science, to try to bring that about as best I can in a period...

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: On the question of water charges, the Senator must remember that in the past few years we put in a graded system of charges and that system will remain in place until 2009. This year I will examine how I can help schools with the various projects and as part of the summer works scheme I am considering a programme that will examine energy conservation and water conservation. There are minor...

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——and I am committed to helping schools to conserve water and cut back on energy costs.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (7 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — i.e. the local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has...

Written Answers — Higher Education Strategy: Higher Education Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will bring proposals to Government shortly in relation to the terms of reference and process to develop a new national strategy for higher education which will provide the vision and strategic direction for the future development of the higher education sector in contributing to Ireland's economic and social development in the 21st century. I would expect that the entire process to develop...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special educational needs and for identifying appropriate educational settings for individual children with special educational needs. Officials in...

Written Answers — Schools of Music: Schools of Music (7 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Music Network has commissioned a consultancy in April 2008 to conduct an evaluation of the programmes. Methodologies include desk research, face-to-face meetings with key policy makers, consultation and focus group meetings with teachers, tutors, parents, students and service management. The research and evaluation is ongoing and near completion.

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (7 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The website of the Government's climate change awareness campaign, www.change.ie, provides a carbon calculator which enables everyone to work out their own carbon footprint. Using this tool, my Department has estimated that the carbon emissions arising in the course of my ministerial functions amounted to 9.98 tonnes from my appointment as Minister to 30 September 2008. Of this .78 of a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: On 29th September this year I announced details of 25 major school building projects which are to proceed to tender and construction. The school building projects which I announced will provide permanent primary school places for over 4,600 students in five new schools and 15 extended and modernised schools. A further 3,600 students at post-primary level will benefit from one new school and...