Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

We meet regularly with the education partners and did so in the context of the last budget in terms of funding. We are in regular contact with them. The secretary general and senior officials from my Department liaise on a regular basis with the education partners. We are apprised of some of the issues. I have met with principal teacher organisations and have listened to their proposals. Obviously, I welcome that participation and level of dialogue.

On the review group, its remit is to examine all areas of public spending. I am examining expenditure in the third level sector and in this regard met with the Higher Education Authority yesterday. I also addressed a meeting of the new authority. Last week, the secretary general and I met with the Chairman of the HEA and other people who had examined expenditure in one of the third level institutions in terms of how it had and could make further significant savings. I am not waiting for the review group to complete its work. I have asked the HEA to request the presidents of the institutes of technology to meet with this group to tease out with it where savings can be garnered. I will meet later with the presidents and provost of Trinity College, Dublin, to tease out with them where savings can be made within that particular sector. That is one example of where we are being proactive in terms of ensuring we obtain value for money in respect of every day spending.

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