Education and Training Boards Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 July 2014

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

Questions (74)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

74. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is concerned at the fact that budgets for education and training boards have been reduced by her Department following reviews of VEC-ETB bank accounts; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in this review, moneys that were taken into account which were exclusively for school use, that is, school trips and tours, parents' associations and so on; her views on whether the existence of moneys cannot justify a reduction in funding to ETBs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31721/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy appears to be referring to the arrangement in 2013, where in Budget 2013 it was decided to reduce the non-pay grant to Vocational Education Committees (VECs)/ Education and Training Boards (ETBs) by €13.2 million. This decision took account of the capacity of VECs/ETBs to utilise cash balances on a once off basis.

In 2014, this reduction in exchequer funding was mostly reinstated. However due to other factors, mainly the ending of the contribution paid by local authorities, which ceased with the commencement of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013, and a reduction in receipts raised locally by the ETBs themselves (e.g. in relation to night classes) the Department was not in a position to fully restore the non-pay grant. However, ETBs are required to provide the same level of service in 2014 as in 2013 and a letter to each ETB will issue shortly in this regard.

With regard to funds collected for school trips or by parents' associations, it is the Department's view that such funds should be used only for the purposes for which they were collected.