Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 574: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the proposals he has to address the concerns of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford in regard to the cuts in education spending announced in budget 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42598/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In framing the budget, a range of very difficult policy choices had to be faced by the Government across all areas of public expenditure, including in the field of education. Though education remains a priority for the Government, it has been necessary to curtail expenditure in some areas. While certain grants are to be abolished, I would like to emphasise that the capitation grant for post-primary schools has been increased by 4.3%, representing an increase of €14 per pupil, to bring it to €345 per pupil from January 2009.

Voluntary secondary schools will benefit also from an increase in the school services support grant by €8 per pupil from January 2009. This will mean, for example, that a secondary school with an enrolment of 500 pupils will receive an additional €11,000 in funding in 2009. I am confident, therefore, that the quality of education that students receive in Irish schools will be maintained.

My Department will be advising individual schools in the normal way in relation to their staffing and grant allocations. The preparatory work for this has commenced with the processing of enrolment data that has been received from schools. The staffing allocation processes, including notification to schools, will commence early in the New Year. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. In addition to the mainstream classroom teachers, my Department also allocates teaching resources to schools for special needs and language support. 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.