Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2023
268. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education the figure provided by her Department to maintain existing levels of service in 2024, under her respective remits ahead of Budget 2024; the figure granted by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51175/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, budget negotiations are confidential. However, as announced on Budget Day, I can confirm that I negotiated a substantial increase in funding for the education sector in 2024, in line with the parameters agreed by Government in the Medium Term Expenditure Strategy. This includes a significant increase in funding to ensure that the existing level of service (ELS) which is provided in schools and other settings across the country will continue to be provided.
Government agreed a total Government Expenditure Ceiling of €96.6 billion for Budget 2024. Of this expenditure, an additional €445 million was allocated for ELS to my Department. This allocation will mainly fund the costs arising from additional teacher and special needs assistant posts in our schools, provision of school transport services, including increased delivery costs, additional accommodation in schools, increases in the number of pensioners retired from the schools sector, curriculum reforms, provision of staffing resources across a range of state funded bodies working in the education sector and existing public sector pay deals. This ELS funding was agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure and NDP Delivery and Reform as part of the budgetary process. There is further engagement currently ongoing as part of the 2024 Revised Estimates (REV) stage of the annual Estimates process.
