Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps that need to be taken by her Department, the Department of Finance, and the voluntary secondary school sector to enable that sector to be covered for insurance purposes by a company (details supplied) which currently provides insurance to local authorities, the health sector, the VECs, higher education institutions and other public bodies having regard to the high cost of insurance being experienced by this sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33426/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy may be aware that my Department is currently undertaking a review of insurance arrangements in schools throughout the primary and post-primary sectors as part of the VFM and Policy Review Initiative. The Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative was introduced in June 2006, replacing the former Expenditure Review Initiative and is part of the wider public service modernisation agenda.

The review includes schools in the voluntary secondary school sector and will address current insurance arrangements as well as possible potential alternatives, such as that referred to by the Deputy, as part of its terms of reference. The review is being undertaken in full consultation with the relevant management bodies in the post-primary sector. It is intended that the review will provide an evidential basis for future policy formulation in this area by my Department.