Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 541: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the solutions he proposes to address the concerns of the primary management bodies in regard to the budget 2009 education cuts (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38514/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the concerns raised by the bodies referred to by the Deputy. However we are dealing with an economic situation of unprecedented difficulty. The Government has a collective duty to respond to this and to take very difficult decisions in the national interest. In doing this we have attempted to afford some shelter to the education sector but given the scale of public expenditure on education it is simply not possible to avoid tough decisions. I fully accept that these decisions are not of themselves desirable and that they can only be justified by the imperative of securing the future economic stability of the country. I have called for co-operation from all the education partners in meeting the challenges facing us both as an education community and as a country. I am confident that as the global economy improves it will be possible to build again on the significant achievements of recent years and do so in a manner consistent with overall prudent management of the Irish economy.