Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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46. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his priorities for budget 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22308/18]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I ask the Minister to set out his budgetary priorities for budget 2019. I am sure that much of the Department's preparatory work for the next budget is underway, if not completed at this stage. In particular, will the Minister be providing for an increase in capitation grants to primary and secondary schools given that the cost of running and maintaining schools has risen dramatically in recent years? School boards, particularly in schools where parents are less well off, are finding it extremely difficult to fund schools in the absence of significant increases in the capitation grant. I would also like to ask the Minister if he has been able to advance the proposals, with the apparent agreement of the Government, for pay restoration and pay equality, particularly for younger members of teaching staff.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The aim for budget 2019, as it has been in previous years, is to deliver progressively on the commitments set out in the action plan for education, the programme for Government and the confidence and supply agreement. I have set out four key areas where I am seeking to make improvements so that Ireland becomes a leader in Europe. The first is to improve the quality of the learning experience. The second is to increase our capacity to meet the needs of those at a disadvantage or with special needs so that they can meet their potential. The third area of focus is the environment for schools to be innovative and continuously improve their capacity to serve their pupils' needs. The final area is the building of bridges between education and training institutions and the wider community, including enterprise, culture and public services, to meet the changing needs of our country. I will be seeking to address these four areas as we prepare the budget.

I will be building on the significant investment we have made over the past two budgets, where an additional €1 billion was provided in 2017 and 2018, bringing our investment in education to €10 billion. That has delivered thousands of additional teachers and special needs assistants, a re-investment in higher education, the expansion of apprenticeships and traineeships and a range of new policy initiatives to enhance innovation and improve education and training outcomes for our learners. It has enabled us to implement the public service pay deal in the education and training sector and to bring down class sizes at primary level.

In looking at the competing demands for the next budget, I must have regard to the resources available to Government in the context of the need to meet our fiscal commitments and for the prudent management of the economy. That will be set out by the Minister for Finance in his summer economic statement. It will be against that background that I formulate specific budgetary priorities.

The Deputy will know that I have made provision this year for elements of pay restoration for newly qualified teachers, with a payment made from 1 January. The Minister for Finance has recently initiated a wider talks process on new entrant pay across the whole public service. I recognise that capitation is an area of pressure and will be looking at it in the context of the forthcoming budget. An increase in capitation is included in the programme for Government and I will be assessing that option. As in other years, there will be a lot of competing demands but I will endeavour to be as fair as possible.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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In the context of competing demands, an educated and skilled population, as much as low corporation tax, will be a key selling point for Ireland in attracting international investment. Education is the powerhouse that will enable us to continue to attract local and international investment and create well-paid jobs in the economy. The Minister's approach is disappointing, quite frankly because it is all about penny pinching. In the context of the huge amount that was achieved by the Minister's predecessors in the Department of Education and Skills during the last Government, his reply is anaemic, to say the least.

The Minister must be aware, having held office for a considerable period, that the lack of capitation funding at primary and secondary level is crippling schools and parents. At the same time, the Minister is suggesting that voluntary contributions should be made a thing of the past.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you Deputy. There are two more questioners.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Minister is giving no hope to-----

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will have another opportunity. There are other Members waiting.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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-----new teaching recruits that they will be brought into line with existing staff who are paid much more than them.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Deputy that skills will be a key magnet and in that context, it is significant that this year we saw Irish ten year olds become the best at both reading and mathematics in Europe. We also have the highest rates of progression to third level and the best levels of skill availability across the EU. We are making very significant progress but I agree with the Deputy that we need to invest more. The decision in the national development plan, NDP, to devote €12 billion to education, the highest of any Department, shows the level of commitment by the Government to the education sector. Our aim is to become a leader and to make talent the key hallmark of Ireland as we move forward. Investment in education is the best insulation against the reversals that might come to a small, open trading economy like ours.

In terms of pay restoration, the Deputy will be aware that discussions chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have just opened on new entrant pay, an issue that affects not just teachers but new entrants right across the public service. Those discussions are ongoing.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Has the Minister had an opportunity to visit schools which are struggling through lack of funding? A number of ongoing changes within schools are causing particular difficulties.

In the case of DEIS schools, SENO resources have been reduced, much to the surprise and bafflement of the schools.

Second, the position on education and skills, which I raised with the Minister on a number of occasions, is that notwithstanding the huge building boom the progress made on further education and training opportunities, including apprenticeships, is very modest. As I am sure the Minister would be the first to acknowledge, much of the progress he referred to was as a result of the activity of the previous Government. I just do not get from the Minister a sense of ambition and vision regarding how we can improve conditions for the students and staff in the education system.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I have set out what I believe is a significant ambition, namely to have the best education and training services by 2026. We are making steady progress towards that. The 6,000 additional teachers have allowed important priorities to be met. The restoration of guidance, on which Deputy Thomas Byrne is very keen, has been achieved, in addition to the implementation of junior cycle reform, which the Labour Party was very keen to seen delivered. Also to be considered are the reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio, the introduction of 3,000 special needs assistants and the revision of the way in which special needs teaching resources are allocated to make the system both better and fairer. We have 51 new apprenticeships being developed. For the first time ever, we have seen a move away from the 27 traditional ones. We have seen the commencement of reinvestment at third level. Therefore, there is a sense of ambition and progress within the education system. I am determined to support that. There will always be priorities. The Deputy will be familiar with the fact that choices always have to be made, but the choices being made, which are discussed here in the House, are the right ones. We must do better in the years ahead, however.