Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45779/08]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45780/08]

Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on concerns expressed in correspondence from the principal of a school (details supplied); if he will respond to their concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45781/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 to 267, inclusive, together.

I am aware of the concerns raised by the schools referred to by the Deputies. 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.

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. The various impacts at school level were included in the Budget day announcements. Even with the budget measures in place there will still be a significantly increased borrowing requirement in 2009.

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.