Tánaiste outlines education and skills detail of Budget 2011 [education.ie]
- Published: 07 December 2010
- Government protects front line education services -
The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Ms. Mary Coughlan, T.D., today (Tuesday, 7 December 2010) said that Budget 2011 is a budget that recognises the critical role of the education and skills sector to Ireland’s future prospects. She said that while difficult choices had to be made to identify savings across her Department’s remit, the Government had gone as far as it could to protect front line education services in 2011.
“Achieving savings in the education and skills budget is never without difficulty, this is particularly so at a time of growing demographics in our schools and increased demand on our education and skills services. It is clear however that in the context of the unprecedented level of expenditure saving required this year, this Government has chosen to go as far as it can to protect front line education services. We have also chosen to implement savings measures in such a way as to limit their impact on families, and in particular those families that are less well off.”
The 2011 allocation for current expenditure, including from the National Training Fund, will be €8.726 billion while the allocation for capital expenditure will be €491 million. The education measures in the plan account for current expenditure savings next year of some €175 million. Allocations from the National Training Fund will also be reduced and will require more efficient use of resources for training and employment programmes. The 2011 allocation for the Department represents a reduction of €207 million over the equivalent allocation for 2010, the difference arising mainly in relation to capital expenditure.
The savings being implemented in 2011 are spread across the education and skills sector and include the school transport scheme, reductions in public sector numbers, student supports and FÁS training allowances. The specific details of the measures are set out in the attached note.
Full Story: www.education.ie
