Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

If Deputy O'Dowd were sitting here, he too would have difficulties coming up with savings in the Department of Education and Skills. We are all curtailed in the ways we can obtain savings in a Department in which the majority of its Vote is expended on pay and pensions. That leaves one with little room for manoeuvre. There is an increase in the number of young people coming into the education system. The capitation grant is only being reduced to 2007 levels for post-primary schools and 2008 for primary schools. It is not a drastic reduction. There has also been a large increase over the past several years in the grants which means, proportionally, this is not a drastic reduction. Schools in the current economic climate should find their purchasing power more competitive and with supports from the private sector should be able to get greater value for money.

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