Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is a separate issue altogether, but it is no harm for Deputy Nolan to take the opportunity to raise it. It is something we would all like to avoid if we could. When the contribution came in and the plan was made to increase it every year, the context was one of very tight budgetary constraints. Those have not yet gone away, and we must be very careful. Although things have improved and the recovery is on track, which means that some of the €2 billion that must be found in the budget in five or six weeks' time has been dealt with already through increases in tax receipts, every Department continues to have commitments to reduce costs over the next couple of years. If every Department comes back with an increased list, we will be right back where we started.

The Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform have pointed out that they do not want to go back to a boom-and-bust scenario. It is not the case that the Departments are free to start spending endless amounts of money again. The money is still not in the system. While I accept the Deputy's point, previous Ministers explained clearly why it had to be done, and Deputy O'Sullivan has explained that she does not see how it can be reversed. I will bring the Deputy's points to her and make the case, but I do not want to give the impression that there is a pot of money in education whereby we can start changing things back. We cannot. We have to make our own case and there is a great deal of pressure on the Department, mainly as a result of demographic change. The numbers attending primary, secondary and third level education are increasing every year. We cannot predict in the third level sector where that will end. The numbers are rising at such a high rate in primary and secondary that it will keep going up. I do not think there will be space to do what the Deputy asks, and I do not think the Minister will be in a position to do it, but I will raise it with her and get back to the Deputy. There is an impression going around now that every Department can stop making the changes, but while I wish we could, that is not the case. Spending is still very tight. I will raise the matter with the Minister, who could not be here in person.

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