Bertie Ahern
Ceist:91 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Education the total amount spent on education in the Republic and in Northern Ireland in each of the years from 1995 to 1997. [3951/97]
Written Answers. - Education Expenditure.
The total gross expenditure on education by my Department, not including provision for youth and sport, is as follows:
Department of Education (Ireland)
|
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 (est) |
|
(£m) |
(£m) |
(£m) |
(£m) |
|
1,954 |
2,045 |
2,175 |
2,280 |
The comparable data for Northern Ireland is as follows:
Department of Education, Northern Ireland
|
1993-94 Out-turn |
1994-95 Out-turn |
1995-96 Estimated Out-turn |
1996-97 Plans |
|
£m* |
£m* |
£m* |
£m* |
|
1,192 |
1,239 |
1,299 |
1,337 |
* Stg.
The data in respect of Northern Ireland, the latest available, is drawn from the Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities published in March 1996 by the Department of Finance and Personnel and is in respect of their financial year ending March 31 each year.
There are considerable difficulties in comparing financial data for the education systems in Ireland and Northern Ireland because of structural differences between the two systems, currency differences and different rates of inflation. In addition the financial year in the two jurisdictions do not coincide. These qualifications need to be borne in mind when interpreting data on the expenditure on education by my Department and the Department of Education in Northern Ireland.