Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I would love to be in the position in which the Deputy thinks we all live, and in a world that does not exist as far as this country is concerned. The fact is 17% of the entire current account budget of this Government, and of previous Governments, goes on education. With the exception of social welfare, it is probably the biggest single expenditure item. Some 80% of that budget goes to salaries and related employment costs. Therefore, any adjustment that I must make comes within the 20% balance. Indirectly, by removing teaching posts, I can theoretically reduce the costs but, in fact, anybody who is holding down a teaching post and is permanent does not lose his or her job, and will be redeployed elsewhere within the system, and the savings are quite limited.

I regret that I must do what I must do. I do not like it. What I was doing, as Deputy Boyd Barrett might well be aware, was looking at DEIS band 1 and band 2 primary schools and those posts which were additional to the DEIS allocation, which had preceded the establishment of DEIS and which were known as legacy posts. On the basis of the full impact, and following the discussions with politicians and Deputies on the Government side, and listening to what people were saying, I have decided to make this change.

However, I stated on the day that I accepted I would have to review the position that any change that would take place would have to be financed from within the primary education budget within the Department, and that is what I have done.

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