Batt O'Keeffe | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation | |
| In office 23 March 2010 – 20 January 2011 | |
| Taoiseach | Brian Cowen |
| Preceded by | Mary Coughlan |
| Succeeded by | Mary Hanafin |
| Minister for Education and Science | |
| In office 7 May 2008 – 23 March 2010 | |
| Taoiseach | Brian Cowen |
| Preceded by | Mary Hanafin |
| Succeeded by | Mary Coughlan |
| Minister of State | |
| 2004–2008 | Environment, Heritage and Local Government |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office May 2007 – February 2011 | |
| Constituency | Cork North-West |
| In office November 1992 – May 2007 | |
| In office February 1987 – June 1989 | |
| Constituency | Cork South-Central |
| Senator | |
| In office 1 November 1989 – 25 November 1992 | |
| Constituency | Labour Panel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Bartholomew O'Keeffe (1945-04-02)2 April 1945 (age 80) Cullen,County Cork, Ireland |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | St. Brendan's College, Killarney |
| Alma mater | University College Cork |
Bartholomew O'Keeffe (born 2 April 1945) is an Irish formerFianna Fáil politician who served asMinister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation from 2010 to 2011,Minister for Education and Science from 2008 to 2010 and aMinister of State from 2004 to 2008. He served as aTeachta Dála (TD) from 1987 to 1989 and from 1992 to 2011. He was aSenator for theLabour Panel from 1989 to 1992.[1]
O'Keeffe was born inCullen, County Cork. He was educated atSt. Brendan's College, Killarney and atUniversity College Cork, where he received aBachelor of Arts. O'Keeffe worked as alecturer in theCork Institute of Technology before becoming involved in politics. He also had a sporting career, being the holder of three MunsterfootballGaelic Athletic Association medals withCork GAA at Under 21, Junior and Senior level. He was also a Cork Intermediate Handball Champion. In 1985, he was elected toCork County Council. He was formerly chairman of the Southern Health Board. He is married to Mary Murphy; they have three daughters and one son.
O'Keeffe was first elected to theDáil at the1987 general election as a Fianna Fáil TD for theCork South-Central constituency. He lost his seat toMicheál Martin at the1989 general election, but he was subsequently elected toSeanad Éireann on theLabour Panel where he was Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Finance. At the1992 general election, O'Keeffe was re-elected to the Dáil and was re-elected at each subsequent election until his retirement in 2011.[2] Between 1995 and 1997, O'Keeffe was Opposition Spokesperson on Transport and Communications. He has also served on a number of committees including the JointOireachtas Committee on Health and Children, the Public Accounts Committee and the Sustainable Development Committee. In a 2004 reshuffle,Bertie Ahern appointed O'Keeffe asMinister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government with special responsibility for Environmental Protection.
In 2006, O'Keeffe was selected unopposed to contest the2007 general election in the re-drawnCork North-West constituency, along withMichael Moynihan andDonal Moynihan. O'Keeffe was elected, although his party colleague Donal Moynihan lost his seat. In 2007, O'Keeffe was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government with special responsibility for Housing and Urban Renewal. WhenBrian Cowen becameTaoiseach in 2008, O'Keeffe was appointed asMinister for Education and Science. In this role, in 2010 he initiated a process of dissolving theNational University of Ireland,[3] a move that was later reversed in 2011 by theFine Gael/Labour coalition.
On 14 October 2008, as part of Budget 2009, O'Keeffe announced cutbacks and the imposition of increased charges[4] to pay for the running of theDepartment of Education and Science throughout 2009,[5] including the increase of the primary school teacher:pupil ratio 1:27 to 1:28 and the increase of the post-primary school teacher:pupil ratio from 1:18 to 1:19, although the capital allocation of €889m was increased by €80m.[5]
On 29 October 2008, approximately 12,000 teachers and parents demonstrated against the education cuts announced in Budget 2009. The rally outsideLeinster House coincided with a Dáil debate on aLabour Party motion calling for the increase in class sizes to be reversed.INTO General Secretary John Carr described the budget as an act of educational sabotage.[6] Ferdia Kelly, representing most second-level school managers, said school principals and deputy principals "are saying loudly and clearly that they are not available to supervise classes where teachers are absent. Failure to act now on this proposal will lead to an unwelcome disruption of school life in January." The cutbacks removed substitution cover for uncertified sick leave, and for teachers on school business at second level, from 7 January 2009.[7]
The education cutbacks were supported in the Dáil on 30 October 2008 by Fianna Fáil and theGreen Party.[8]O'Keeffe accused the opposition parties of whipping up "hysteria" and said they were being dishonest with the Irish people.[9]
The minority Protestant population in the Republic was outraged[10] by cuts announced by the Minister for Education to grants previously available to the 21 Protestant denomination secondary schools. This breached a forty-year-old agreement that had been made when free secondary education was introduced by the then Minister for EducationDonogh O'Malley. It was claimed that the cuts would disproportionately affect Protestant schools. Protestant parents claimed that they would have to accept fewer teachers per child, and that their schools would not be funded to employ non-academic staff in the way that their Roman Catholic neighbours are.[11]
On 11 August 2008, O'Keeffe proposed the re-introduction of third-level fees which had been abolished in Ireland since 1995.[12] While originally indicating that high earners would be hit,[13][14] it was later announced that this scheme would raise far short of the €500 million in the original report compiled by UCC economist, Dr. Noel Woods.[15][16][17] O'Keeffe stated that he wanted to increase third-level participation, and claimed that the "free fees" scheme had not accomplished this.[18] After putting forward a range of options to the cabinet in July 2009, O'Keeffe set a deadline of 15 September 2009 for his colleagues to decide on the issue.[19] The range of options was then discussed in a new programme for government. It was later announced in the new programme for government, brokered by both Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, that third-level fees would not be introduced in the lifetime of the government,[20] although O'Keeffe had stated his support for their introduction and had stated that existing registration fees,[21] commonly described as "fees by another name", faced an increase.[22][23][24] His stance on fees was supported by former education ministersNoel Dempsey andMary Hanafin.[25][26]
O'Keeffe resigned his position asMinister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation on 20 January 2011.[27] He retired from politics at the2011 general election.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 2004–2008 With: Noel Ahern (2004–2007) Tony Killeen (2007–2008) Máire Hoctor (2007–2008) | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Education and Science 2008–2010 | Succeeded byas Minister for Education and Skills |
| Preceded byas Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment | Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation 2010–2011 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
