Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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336. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reverse the cuts imposed by his Department in budget 2012. [13459/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The previous Government sought, against a very challenging economic backdrop, to protect education spending and maintain frontline education services as far as possible.

While difficult savings measures had to be implemented across areas of the Education Sector, including in Budget 2012, my Department has continued to provide high levels of services through efficient and effective use of the resources that have been allocated.

Looking ahead, specific proposals for my Department's 2017 Allocation will be determined in the context of agreeing Budget 2017 in October.

This process will have regard to policy commitments contained in the Programme for Government, as well as the need to ensure the continued effective management of the public finances, including adherence to EU fiscal rules which require public finances to be kept on a sustainable path.

The Programme for Government recognises the need for an enhanced role and say for the Dáil and individual Deputies in the budgetary process, and sets out the reforms which will be introduced to make this happen. This will include greater transparency on the policy choices available to Government, making more information available to the House on the draft allocation of new expenditures and the projected impact of policy changes, which can then be considered by the Dáil.