Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the activities and services funded by his Department from the budget 2009 subhead B17 entitled miscellaneous which amounts to €15.7 million in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40568/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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An allocation of €15.9m has been provided in the 2009 Budget for Subhead B17 Miscellaneous. This subhead provides for a range of miscellaneous services which include costs relating to:

The School Development Programme,

Early Literacy Programmes,

Funding of the Braille Production Unit,

The Partnership Programme,

Appeals under Section 29 of the Education Act,

The funding of an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG)

The provision of an advice and referral service run by and for survivors of abuse and a family tracing service (Origins) provided by Barnardos,

The Get Ahead Project

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on a letter (details supplied). [40573/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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As you will be aware, the Education budget for 2009 has been increased by some €302 million. Notwithstanding this, a number of tough and difficult decisions have had to be taken, which have seen a number of spending cuts across the education sector. However, the overall allocation for the School Completion Programme in 2009 will increase by approximately 1% over the allocation for 2007/08.

My Department notified all 124 school completion projects on 21st August last that, pursuant to a Government decision in response to the deterioration in public finances, they would be required to reduce their payroll bill by 3% in 2009 through all appropriate measures identified by local management in the light of local circumstances. Projects were advised that they have the authority to manage how the savings are to be achieved. This is to facilitate projects in their efforts to ensure that these necessary steps will be applied in such a manner as to minimise their effect on young people targeted and to prioritise those activities which are found to be of most value in supporting the young people concerned.

In implementing this decision local Management Committees will have an opportunity to consider measures which might include the control of premium pay, the management of existing or future vacancies, the organisation of work processes and the levels at which work is carried out, as well as control of numbers through recruitment and other measures. This requirement will not have a universal effect on all 124 projects, as projects vary in size, number of schools involved and the number and status of personnel employed and the types of interventions in place.

In line with the requirements set out the letter dated 21st August, Projects are requested to submit the required establishment plans including information on the numbers of existing staff, both full-time and part-time at all salary levels in each project. Under the terms of the Government decision, the allocation for the pay element of the School Completion Programme in 2009 will be framed on the basis that a saving of 3% will be achieved when the pay bill is adjusted to include the full-year cost of Towards 2016 increases payable in 2008.

It is envisaged that the savings requested, will lead to rationalisation, with more efficient and cost effective measures being implemented. In this way, it is not expected that there will be any significant diminution of front-line services.

With regard to the pay increase of 3.5% provided for under the recently negotiated second pay agreement under Towards 2016, my Department is currently considering how this will be addressed, should the pay increase be accepted by the unions and their members, following the Government's decision that no specific additional provision should be included for this pay increase and that the cost should be met from the allocations approved in Budget 2009.