Results 7,401-7,420 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Essentially, it is the quality of teaching in individual classrooms that has the greatest impact.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: First, this question has been dealt with in part as one of the priorities. I reiterate that in respect of the Government's commitment to have 4,000 additional teachers in employment over five years, after two years, the Government has employed 2,000 teachers.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Government is on target. In fact it is ahead of target in respect of this issue.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I beg Members' indulgence in this regard. I have been in this position for two weeks and have indicated clearly that I have entered discussions with my officials regarding funding and demands on funding within the Department. I am not in a position at present to indicate clearly the destination of capital funding or what is the current funding side. I certainly am not in a position to...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am committed to doing so. Obviously, like everything else within all strategies across Departments, the commitment regarding pupil-teacher ratios will be contingent on the available finances. Were Members to read the programme for Government, it stated clearly that all the aspirations contained in it were contingent on finances being available. At the time, this was stressed greatly by...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I cannot give accurate information off the top of my head but the ratio is currently 27 to one and to reduce it to 26 to one would require around 500 additional teachers, I would think. This would cause a requirement for additional classrooms and other facilities so one cannot quantify the cost solely in terms of teachers' pay.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: There are other consequential costs involved. The previous Minister clearly indicated that she was putting at bay the issue of reducing the pupil-teacher ratio for this year. That was her decision and it stands for 2008.
- School Accommodation. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Under the programme for Government, my Department has established a developing areas unit to provide sufficient school accommodation in those areas experiencing the greatest population growth. The function of this unit is to liaise with local authorities, to identify where new schools are needed and to ensure that these schools are delivered in the fastest possible timeframe. As part of a...
- School Accommodation. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I thought I was being honest in that I indicated to Deputy Quinn that I would write to him personally outlining all of the data he sought relating to prefabricated buildings.
- School Accommodation. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I can only deal with the issue as I find it. I will write to the Deputy in the next week or so to give him the full details.
- School Accommodation. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I do not think the picture is as bad as the Deputy paints it. During my term as Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government with for responsibility developing areas, I had many meetings with representatives of the planning and building unit of the Department of Education and Science. I met local authority managers in developing areas and we sat...
- School Accommodation. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I think so.
- Information and Communications Technology. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Since the introduction of the programme of investment in information and communications technology in 1998, almost â¬200 million has been invested in information and communications technology in schools. Some â¬80 million was provided to schools in equipment grants under the Schools ICT 2000 and Blueprint for the Future of ICT schemes. A further â¬23 million has been provided since 2004...
- Information and Communications Technology. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I thought I had made it plain that I am discussing the exact financial position with my officials. It has not been easy to examine all the funding issues in the Department of Education and Science. I am not in a position today to say "Yes, something will happen". I have provided for expenditure in the schools sector of approximately â¬20 million, on the current side. I will continue to...
- Information and Communications Technology. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I do not want the Deputy to misinterpret what I am saying. I am in discussions with my officials about the overall package of funding within the Department. I am not saying that I do not intend to put funding in place for information and communications technology. It is in the national development plan. It is obvious that it is my aspirationââ
- Information and Communications Technology. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: ââto meet the demands of that part of the national development plan.
- Information and Communications Technology. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I certainly do not intend to give Deputy Hayes an absolute commitment, in the Dáil, that I have the funding to roll out the whole of this.
- Information and Communications Technology. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy has had his say. I ask him to let me finish. I have been in this job for almost two weeks. I am in discussions with my officials on the funding that is available. I have pointed out that â¬20 million has been put in place for current spending. I am looking at the capital programme. Under no circumstances can Deputy Hayes indicate to anybody at this stage that funding will...
- School Accommodation. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Officials in the Department of Education and Science discuss the overall allocation of current and capital expenditure with their counterparts in the Department of Finance in the context of the preparation of the annual Estimates. General discussions are normally held on the amount of funding allocated to the subhead from which payment for the rental of temporary accommodation for schools is...
- School Accommodation. (21 May 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I thank Deputy Quinn.