Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to be in a position to maintain the full scale and structure of the educational sector at primary and post-primary level in the wake of reduction in teacher numbers arising from the memorandum of understanding entered into by his predecessor with particular reference to the need to ensure the continuity of the highest possible quality of education for children at both levels and in anticipation of academic and demographic requirements in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10291/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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A key part of the Government's overall budgetary strategy is a requirement to reduce the public sector payroll. This will continue to be the case until we close the gap between what we spend as a country and what we take in through taxes. Given that one third of all public sector employees work in the Education sector it is simply not possible to completely exempt staffing levels in education from the Government's need to reduce expenditure. The Government has prioritised, as best as possible, the filling of front-line posts in the Education sector within the constraints of the Employment Control Framework. For example, schools are permitted to fill teaching vacancies that arise within their approved staffing allocations.

At a time of great strain in our public finances, we have to ensure that the very valuable but limited resources available for the education system are used in the best way possible.