Dan Wallace
Ceist:13 Mr. D. Wallace asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1725/97]
Written Answers. - Regional Education Boards.
Helen Keogh
Ceist:20 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education if she has received costings from the Department of Finance in relation to the setting up and administration of regional educational boards. [1753/97]
Joe Walsh
Ceist:26 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1722/97]
Helen Keogh
Ceist:31 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education if she has received costings from the Department of Finance in relation to the setting up and administration of regional educational boards. [1752/97]
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Ceist:42 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1723/97]
John O'Donoghue
Ceist:47 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1721/97]
Hugh Byrne
Ceist:48 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1729/97]
John Browne
Ceist:54 Mr. Browne (Wexford) asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1730/97]
Brendan Kenneally
Ceist:56 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1727/97]
Donal Moynihan
Ceist:60 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1726/97]
Martin Cullen
Ceist:67 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1728/97]
Mary Coughlan
Ceist:71 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Education the full costing of the establishment of the regional educational boards as proposed in the Education Bill, 1997; and the estimated cost of running these boards. [1741/97]
Matt Brennan
Ceist:76 Mr. M. Brennan asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the proposed ten new regional educational boards. [1724/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 20, 26, 31, 42, 47, 48, 54, 56, 60, 67, 71 and 76 together.
The Government's commitment to devolving education to the regions is set out in the White Paper, Charting our Education Future. Government policy in this area has been developed as a result of greater awareness of and sensitivity to the needs of regional communities.
The establishment of the education boards will involve radically changing the administrative framework for education and a major refocussing of the Department of Education, including the gradual transfer of some functions from the Department to the boards and the rationalisation of the vocational education committees. This will require detailed consultations with the trade unions and staff associations concerned.
It is not possible to be precise about the cost implications of the establishment of education boards at this time.
The establishment of the boards will not result in a completely new area of expenditure. Rather, they will involve the re-allocation of funding and administrative responsibilities within the education system.
The establishment of the education boards will take place on a phased basis, with a gradual transfer of functions to the boards, within a costed and approved plan, prepared by each board and approved by the Minister. This will facilitate careful appraisal of the incremental costs of the boards, in the context of the education estimates for the year in question, and within the overall context of the budgetary parameters approved by Government, an education budget which has increased from £1.645 billion to an estimated £2.3 billion since 1992.
To ensure the smooth transfer of functions to the education boards and to prepare for the new role of the Department, management consultants have been contracted to review the present organisational structure of the Department and make recommendations regarding the future structure of the Department and the education boards. This will ensure that no unnecessary expenditure is incurred in the transfer of functions.
The Department of Finance has participated in the process of finalising the White Paper on Education and in considering in a general way the cost implications of education reform measures including the establishment of the education boards. The Minister for Finance, in his reply to Deputy O'Donnell on 24 May 1995, indicated that all initiatives in the White Paper will have to be considered by the Government within the framework of the budgetary parameters. Costings relating to the establishment of the education boards will be considered in that context.