Education system aims to save €30m despite costs rising €65m

The cost of running the education system is set to rise by up to €65m next year while further savings of around €30m will still have to be found.

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan told Oireachtas members yesterday that an increase in the number of students at every level this year and next means that it would cost far more to run the sector next year than in 2014.

Appearing for the first time before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection, she said her department would see an increase in costs of between €55m and €65m “because of demographic pressures”.