Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 November 2014
434. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reduction in expenditure since July 2013, provided to the 16 education and training boards; if she will provide the estimated savings from this reduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45027/14]
View answerThe financial allocation to the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) to pay teachers, special needs assistants, administrative and maintenance staff, for the day to day running of schools and head offices and for certain other programmes is known as the general and post primary programme grant. The grant is divided between pay and non-pay. Funding in respect of 2013 was allocated on a 12 month basis and based on the pre-existing VEC configuration.
The total pay grant in 2013 amounted to some €710m. Of this, €361m was allocated to the VECs between January and June and €349m to the ETBs from July to December. In 2014 the ETBs were given an initial pay grant of €668m. This figure included adjustments for additional teachers and anticipated savings from the Haddington Road Agreement. The amount of the final pay grant for 2014 has not yet been determined.
The general and post primary non-pay grant to each ETB is to meet costs associated with schools, the ETB's administrative offices and certain other items, for example the schools services support fund, DEIS schools and the book grant.
In 2013 the general and post primary non-pay grant to VECs/ETBs was reduced by €13.2 million. This decision took account of the capacity of VECs/ETBs to utilise cash balances on a once off basis. The total non-pay grant in 2013 amounted to some €58m. Of this, approximately €30m was allocated to the VECs between January and June and €28m to the ETBs from July to December.
In 2014, this reduction in exchequer funding was mostly reinstated. However due to other factors, the Department was not in a position to fully restore the non-pay grant, which in 2014 amounts to €69m approximately.
