Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she is satisfied with the budget allocation she received for her Department for 2008 in terms of meeting the commitments made in the programme for Government in respect of education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6866/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Overall, education expenditure will rise by 8%, or €690 million, to €9.3 billion in 2008. This will enable us to consolidate the major service improvements that have been put in place in recent years and make further progress in a wide range of areas.

On the 2008 budget, the Deputy will be aware of the importance the Government placed on carefully managing the public finances in the context of more moderate economic growth so that improvements can be sustained in the future. In this context, the provision of an additional €690 million for education services in the 2008 budget over the amount allocated in budget 2007 is significant.

The €9.3 billion being allocated in respect of education in 2008 includes provision for further progress in the following areas: almost €600 million will be invested in school buildings; funding for approximately 1,700 extra teachers and special needs assistants will be provided; expenditure on special education will increase to twice the 2004 amount; €800 million will be spent on tackling educational disadvantage; schools will receive increased funding to meet their day-to-day running costs; capital investment in our higher education colleges will increase by more than 20%; and an additional €12 million will be provided for research to ensure that Ireland is well placed to develop the technologies, processes and products that will be central to our future social and economic success.

While I would like to have been in a position to make greater progress this year on some of the specific commitments in the five-year programme for Government, particularly those relating to school funding and primary class sizes, I am nonetheless satisfied that the 2008 budget allocation of over €9.3 billion will enable me to progress the key overall objectives contained in the programme.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is aware that clear commitments were given in the programme for Government in respect of an increase of €350 million per year for educational services. She failed to make this increase available in the context of this year's Estimates. The Minister also alluded to the fact that there will be no reduction in primary class sizes this year. In addition, she failed to admit the fact that in her manifesto she promised a reduction in class sizes at post-primary level in respect of the core subjects of Irish, English and mathematics. Of these three broken promises, which is the one that most disappoints the Minister?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The third commitment to which the Deputy refers is due to be delivered upon over the lifetime of the Government and it will be met during that period. On the first two commitments, no one in the House anticipated the slowdown that occurred in the economy. Everything in the programme for Government is predicated on strong economic growth. The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance had an obligation to ensure that, via the budget, improvements could be maintained into the future and a similar obligation rests with Ministers in other Departments. It would not be sufficient for people to congratulate the Tánaiste on keeping a tight rein on expenditure and ensuring that it is well focused, as is the case in the area of education, while stating that all other Departments should spend money willy-nilly.

It is our intention to meet all our commitments under the programme for Government. I would like to have done more in respect of school funding, particularly in light of the time-specific aspect, and on class sizes. However, an additional 1,100 teachers will be employed next year. We made a specific commitment in the programme for Government that an extra 4,000 teachers would be employed during the term of office of this Administration. When one takes into account the number of new teachers employed last September and the number that will be taken on in September of this year, we will already be half way towards reaching our goal in this regard. While we may not reach the specific target for this year, we will reach the target as regards the number of additional teachers to be employed this year.

I have highlighted the two commitments in respect of which I would like to have done more. However, it is our intention to meet these commitments during the lifetime of the programme for Government. The additional €690 million is a significant amount of money.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister not accept that any independent commentator would come to the conclusion that she has a real problem with the allocation of funding she received from the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance? One need not be the smartest cookie in the class to realise that if one seeks €315 million, the amount referred to in the programme, and one receives less than one third of that amount in respect of educational services, it is not a good day at the office.

Deputy Hanafin is the first Minister for Education and Science in ten years to introduce swingeing cutbacks in the education budget. I refer specifically to the summer works scheme, which has effectively been abolished this year. Will the Minister provide a clear commitment to the House in respect of the devolved grant, about which her Department has been extremely quiet to date this year? Will the grant be in place for this year and when will schools be in a position to draw down funding under it?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are no cutbacks in education. There is an increase of 8%, €690 million, in our budget. The education system is extensive and I was concerned to ensure that all levels within it would receive an increase. Previous Ministers might have determined not to provide increases in respect of third or fourth level education, but I see such behaviour as having a significant impact, not only on our society as it stands, but also on the future of our economy.

The summer works scheme did not proceed this year, but last year 1,500 projects were completed under the scheme. An amount of work and effort was invested in the smaller projects. I have an obligation to ensure that the larger projects proceed this year. Such projects are particularly relevant to areas with growing communities. One obviously expends a significant amount of money in the first year following the commencement of projects of this nature. This is particularly the case in view of the fact that we are seeking to ensure that schools are put in place in the various new communities.

I made a policy decision in respect of this matter. Smaller projects were completed in the past couple of years and larger projects will commence this year. We will return, as soon as possible, to the summer works scheme, which is extremely important.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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What is the position regarding the devolved grant?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The devolved grant will certainly not be allocated on as large a scale as last year or the year before.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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That is a new cut. This is an extremely important point.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy should be brief because the time for this question is exhausted.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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There was no mention of this in the press conference which followed the budget. Will the Minister outline, in unequivocal terms, the position in respect of the devolved grant for this year?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I previously stated in many different fora that the priority for this year rests with larger projects.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Will the grant be provided?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Any other projects will not be catered for to the same extent as in previous years.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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So it will not be provided.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In the past couple of years works were carried out at over 350 schools under the small projects scheme.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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So it is being axed this year.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It will certainly not be carried out on such a large scale this year. I am not yet in a position to indicate the number of schools in respect of which projects will be carried out.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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When will the Minister make a statement on that matter?