There is a simple and swift answer to these decisions that will harm the education of alland those in greatest need in particular - VOLUNTARY COALITION.

Fair_deal - You mean EXCLUSION!!!

Yeah, like the Dail parties not in government complain about 'exclusion'... and that includes Sinn Fein.

My understanding is that this crisis was caused by the Boards' failure to heed advice that overspending would no longer be tolerated. The Boards' response was - but these cuts will happen if you don't bail us out.

Having spent some time in the company of board finance officers, there was an attitude among some that over-runs were expected and not a matter for concern. Now the Department can be criticised for building up that kind of expectation, but if the Boards failed to react to a clear change in policy, then the Boards are at fault here.

Alan

I agree that there are issues about the financial management with some of the boards. However, there is also an issue about 'unfunded mandates'. For example the central government took the decision to change the approach to special needs education. This new approach is much more expensive but central government gave no new resources for its implementation.

Paddy Canuck

Nationalists and Unionists would both be in government.

When you have a bunch of Politicians who have for 30 odd years concentrated on feathering their own political nests and obsessing about constitutional matters it's hardly surprising the that the things that matter end up in such a mess.

I've heard a few politicans on TV and radio whining about these cuts and other nasty things the Direct Rule eejits are planning but I can't believe they think a little bit of posturing (before an election)is a the way to tackle it.

Direct Rule Ministers know they will not suffer at the polls because of the policies or actions they take here because no-one but the people who live here care or are affected by them.

I know I'm not telling anyone anything they don't already know but it really annoys me. At least if it was the Assembly Minster making the decison, lobbying, votes and public opinion would count for something.