Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----many of these options will not be considered rather than hear him skirting around the issue. Some of those options could not be countenanced. The Department's overall headline figure is €44 million. I do not understand why we are discussing €44 million today if the Minister is clear that funding for resource teachers next year will cost an extra €22 million. He has indicated it will be €7 million for the second part of this term. If the Minister was entirely sure he would exceed the cap by 500, which would cost €22 million, I do not see why that is not being discussed at this stage as being €66 million. I have a residual concern that the Department may not have accepted the fact that there will be an additional 500 over and above the cap. The Minister indicated that the additional cost of €7 million this year is for teachers, not for the 500 he has brought forward.

I refer to the information in the document for 2012, 2013 and 2014. Why is 2012 included?