Paul Bradford
Question:466 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Education and Science if he was asked to verify a claimed increase in spending of 70% in education as advertised recently (details supplied). [28739/01]
Written Answers. - Departmental Expenditure.
The 70% funding figure quoted by the Deputy refers to a comparison between the net expenditure from the Education Votes contained in the 1997 and 2001 Revised Estimates volumes and which also takes into account an additional provision of £71 million from the Scientific and Technological Education (Investment) Fund for expenditure in 2001. For the purposes of valid comparison, expenditure on sport programmes and An Gúm, which were subsequently transferred to other Departments, have been excluded from the 1997 base figure.
The relevant comparable net expenditure figures for my Department are £2,096 million for 1997 and £3,606 million for 2001, that is an increase of 72%. Details, by subhead, of the funding for my Department for 1997 and 2001 are contained in the Revised Estimates volumes for the years in question.
All levels of the education sector have received significantly increased funding since 1997. In summary, there have been substantial increases in expenditure on programmes for the disadvantaged and for children with special needs as well as very significant improvements in first and second level pupil-teacher ratios, school support services and capitation grants. At third level there has been major additional investment in skills needs programmes, teacher training and research and development activities. The capital provision has also been substantially increased for all levels – the overall capital allocation in 2001 is more than four times the corresponding figure in the 1997 Revised Estimates.