‘Education will not be spared’

NO areas of education will be spared from potential cuts in the 2012 Budget, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has warned.

He said calls to spare education from cuts fail to appreciate the scale of the challenge facing the country. Despite encouraging international indications that our efforts at fiscal adjustment are being recognised, he said social protection, health and education cannot avoid the axe as they are the largest areas of public spending.

He faces pressure to cut his budget because of rising primary and second level pupil numbers, in his submission to the comprehensive spending review being overseen by Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin.