Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 469: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the effect of the budget 2009 cutbacks on a primary school (details supplied) in County Mayo, with particular regard to teacher numbers, equipment grant for learning support teachers and cutbacks in in-service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37920/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure could not be totally spared.

Prudent management of the Government finances is particularly important at this time of global economic uncertainty when tax revenue has fallen so significantly and when world economic conditions are so serious. Even with the Budget measures in place there will still be a significantly increased borrowing requirement in 2009.

The Government's commitment to education is clear both from its track record over the past decade in providing substantial additional resources, most notably extra teachers to meet previously unmet needs and from the programme the Government set for itself when it came into office. A lot has changed in the past year and the first and foremost imperative is that we stabilise the public finances. It is only by doing so that we can shelter gains made and put ourselves in the position of being able to make improvements in the future.

What we are doing in primary schools from September next is staffing them on the same basis as they were staffed just over one school year ago. The specific information requested by the Deputies in relation to the detailed staffing allocation of the schools in question for the academic year 2009/10 cannot be determined until the allocation process has fully concluded. There is nothing exceptional in this. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. At primary level the final allocation to a school is also a function of the operation of the redeployment panels which provide for the retention of a teacher in an existing school if a new post is not available within the agreed terms of the scheme.

Schools are currently returning data to my Department in relation to their enrolment as of 30 September. My Department has commenced processing this data although all schools have not yet made their returns. The allocation processes including notification to schools will commence early in the New Year. I appreciate that the abolition of a number of grants for some schools will impact on funding levels in 2009 but it is also the case that the enhanced levels of funding announced in the Budget for the capitation and ancillary services grants will help to alleviate the impact of this. Budget changes will take effect in 2009.

The Education Budget for 2009 has provided for improvements to the overall level of funding for the day to day running costs of primary schools which will see funding increase from €167 million in 2008 to almost €190 million in 2009.

The Government is committed to making further improvements as resources permit. The Primary Professional Development Service offers a wide range of supports for primary schools. The PPDS team are currently providing seminars on child protection and language support as well as in school support through the cuiditheoir service. Support is also available for schools teaching the Staysafe programme through the Child Abuse Prevention Programme and support for teachers in special educational needs is provided through the Special Education Support Service. Leadership training and support is available through the Leadership Development Service and substance misuse prevention training is provided through the Walk Tall programme.

Given the budgetary position in 2009 it is likely that there will be reduced personnel available in the support services but the wide range of supports on offer will remain in place. Decisions have yet to be made on the likely position beyond September 2009.