Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 474: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount of money his Department estimates will be saved by the decision to withdraw substitution cover for all absences arising from uncertified sick leave in schools and for school business absences in post-primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36898/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The projected saving in expenditure in 2009 arising from the suspension of substitution cover for absences on uncertified sick leave in primary and second level schools including Vocational Education Committees and the suspension of cover for official school business in all second level schools is twenty eight million euros. Substitution cover will continue to be provided for the other categories of absences for which it is currently available including maternity leave and certified sick leave. The existing arrangements will continue to apply for the supervision/substitution scheme with teachers continuing to be paid for participation in the scheme.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 475: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount of money his Department estimates will be saved by suspending the early retirement scheme for teachers on an annual basis; the amount it cost in the last full fiscal year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36899/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department estimates a saving in 2009 of €10 million on foot of the suspension of the Early Retirement Scheme for teachers. This figure is the estimated net savings after making allowance for the probability that some teachers, who might have retired under the scheme, will avail of other existing retirement options in 2009. The full year cost in the 2007 financial year of benefits for those who retired under the scheme was of the order of €66.7 million. This amount included the cost of benefits paid in 2007 to those who retired in the year together with the ongoing pension costs in 2007 of those who had retired under the scheme in previous years. These figures relate to teacher retirements from primary, secondary, community and comprehensive schools.