Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have a note with me which it might be helpful to deliver to the committee. It should be made clear that not all of the saving options, of which there were 83, identified in the comprehensive expenditure report, or CER, were agreed to be implemented. The CER submitted by the Department in September 2011 contained a very large number of saving options across the education area. The options were identified to facilitate wide consultation and ultimate decision by Government in determining the budgetary position for the years 2012 to 2014. It was never intended that all 83 options would be implemented. In fact, some options are mutually exclusive including the range of options to abolish or modify the school transport scheme or different options to reduce teacher numbers. Between budget 2012 and budget 2013, some 42 options, or half the total, have been implemented in some shape or form. The commentary in the CER on those options that were not proceeded with identified the challenges to their successful implementation.