Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown of the €25 million in cash reserves in the third level institutions which he identified as part of his savings of €90 million in his Departments budget for 2013; if he will include and breakdown by institution if possible of these reserves; if there are further cash reserves in the third level sector over and above the €25 million he has identified in his Budget 2013 figures. [56623/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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A Comptroller and Auditor General special report on a variety of matters arising from recent audits of financial statements of higher education institutions was published earlier this year. The report noted that universities and Institutes of Technology (IOTs) had cash balances of €706 million at the end of the 2010/11 academic year. When account is taken of restricted reserves and other capital funding requirements, and pension reserves, the cash balance for recurrent purposes was €568 million which also included private sources of income.

This matter has been discussed in detail by my Department with the Higher Education Authority (HEA). I am seeking more prudent management of existing cash balances by the Higher Education Institutions by reducing their allocation in 2013 on a one off basis by €25 million. I have requested the HEA to ensure this measure will not impact on frontline student services. The breakdown of the €25 million by institution has not been determined as yet. This will be a matter for the HEA as it allocates the recurrent grant over the coming year.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown of the €13 million in cash reserves in the vocational education committee sector which he identified as part of his savings of €90 million in his Departments budget for 2013 and to include a breakdown by vocational education committee if possible of these reserves; if there are further cash reserves in the VEC sector over and above the €13 million he has identified in his Budget 2013 figures. [56624/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware, my decision to reduce the VEC allocation for 2013 took account of the capacity of VECs to utilise cash balances on a once off basis. The balance in each VEC will be taken into consideration when the individual budget for each VEC is determined in the New Year.

Details of the deposit balances in each VEC as of 30th September 2012, the most recent date for which information is available, are here for the information of the Deputy. The balances do not take into account any financial liabilities which were held by the VECs on that date.