Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 61: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills with regard to the forthcoming budget, the expected proportion of reductions in expenditure between pay and non-pay aspects of her Department's Vote; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41290/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position to comment on the specifics of budgetary matters in advance of its formal announcement. The Deputy will be aware however that the €8.59 billion current expenditure allocation for my Department for 2010 accounts for some 16% of Government gross voted current expenditure (the third largest after Social Protection and Health). Almost 75% of this current allocation, or €6.39 billion, is accounted for by pay and pensions - €5.4 billion on pay and just under €1 billion on pensions. The number of employees in the education sector accounts for approximately one third of total public sector numbers, more than 70% of which are teachers and special needs assistants. Non-pay expenditure accounts for the balance of €2.2 billion of current expenditure. This non-pay component covers all areas, from funding for our schools and universities, to support for those students that are less well off; from the cost of providing school transport, to our investment in research and development; and from training allowances on FÁS and other courses, to day-to-day office running costs. The Government has made it clear that difficult decisions will be necessary across the broad spectrum of public expenditure in order to secure the significant level of savings required. This will obviously impact on sectors of public expenditure, including the education sector. The choices involved in securing significant savings on my Department's Vote are extremely difficult. The Government will, however, seek to ensure that the necessary savings are achieved in a fair and equitable way.