As the Deputy may be aware I made a detailed statement to the Dail on this matter earlier today in which I outlined the background to the education sector's reduction of € 6.6m in it's budget allocation for 2008.
This year my Department secured a budget increase of some €690m in an overall allocation of over €9.3 billion for the education sector.
I will ensure that the administrative and other efficiencies required to secure these savings by targeting payroll, advertising, consultancy and PR costs, among others, will be achieved.
My Department will inform all its agencies and bodies of the budgetary adjustments that will be necessary immediately and the measures that must be taken to ensure further savings and achieve the payroll reduction of 3% in 2009. In the case of schools the Government agreed that the overall number of teachers and special needs assistants in schools would be agreed by my Department and the Department of Finance.
In summary these measures are about facing up to and dealing with the problems we face in a considered and balanced manner.