Minister attempts to dampen expectations on education spend

HOPES of significant increases in Government spending on education could be dashed in next month’s budget, judging by comments from Education Minister Mary Hanafin yesterday.

She indicated in the Seanad that commitments in the Programme for Government, the National Development Plan and the social partnership agreement, all depend on the budgetary situation.

She said that, rather than introducing new initiatives for schools and colleges, priority would be given to accommodating the growing numbers of children entering the education system and maintaining current service levels.

“We’re at the stage where we have an immediate need for sites and for schools. There are thousands of schools around the country with great expectations, but my priority has to be in areas where we have children and we have no schools,” Ms Hanafin said.

“We will tackle as many as possible of the challenges facing education, within the framework of the Budget. The Programme for Government, the National Development Plan and Towards 2016 are conditional on the Budget and I must fit into that framework too,” she said.

She said she has to plan for 100,000 extra children entering the country’s 4,000 schools in the next few years.

“To provide the same service for extra children will cost a great deal more, which restricts the amount of additional or new projects I can undertake in the immediate future,” the minister said.

The Department of Education revealed last month that it will need €492 million next year just to offer the same level of services as in 2007.

This would increase its budget to almost €8.9 billion, with the bulk of the 6% increase meeting increased pay costs for teachers and other staff.