asked the Minister for Education whether the non-pay budget to be allocated to individual vocational education committees and boards of management of community and comprehensive schools represents an increase or decrease on the 1987 allocation.

With regard to community and comprehensive schools the total 1988 non-pay budget for these schools represents an increase on the 1987 allocation. It represents a decrease on the 1987 allocation for vocational schools.

The 1988 figures for vocational schools can, however, be subject to alteration depending on the level of own resources which VECs can generate in 1988 and also on the credit-deficit position as at 31 December 1987. The latter position will not be known until after 31 January 1988 at which stage the VECs are obliged to furnish their 1987 annual accounts to the Department. Any credits are taken into account in finalising the non-pay allocations for VECs in 1988 and it is intended to issue budgets to VECs early in 1988 after the 1987 out-turn figures are available to the Department.

I thank the Minister for her fairly comprehensive reply. Could I ask her if the increase in the non-pay budgets for community and comprehensive schools arises from increases in either the number of schools or the number of students, or is it a per capita increase?

The non-pay provision for the running of community and comprehensive schools for 1988 totals £4.555 million which represents an increase of £55,000 on the 1987 provision. It will arise in both ways, with an increased per capita student population within the community and comprehensive schools.

I should like to compliment the Government on the fact that the abridged Book of Estimates came out so early this year, on 13 October. That should mean that all three bodies, community and comprehensive schools and vocational education committees——

Has Deputy Hussey a question?

Yes. In view of the fact that the Book of Estimates has come out so early this year, can she assure the vocational committees and the community comprehensive schools that they will have their spending allocation indicated to them for 1988 before the end of 1987?

It is the intention to do so but with regard to community and comprehensive schools there is still a considerable amount of detailed analysis of individual schools requirement in the preparation of the budgets, which will be completed as soon as possible. It is my wish and, indeed, the wish of my Department that we would be able to allocate individual budgets to VECs, community and comprehensive schools prior to the end of the year. However, I do not know if we can do that because, particularly with regard to VECs, we are awaiting the out-turn for each city and county VEC. They have a final date by which they must submit that to the Department and individual VEC allocations will depend on that. The fact that the Book of Estimates has been printed earlier will, no doubt, enable us to give these allocations to the schools and committees much earlier than heretofore.

I ask the House to appreciate that it is not appropriate to have a budgetary debate on this question. Many questions are listed and I hope Deputies appreciate that we must move along as quickly as possible.