asked the Minister for Education the primary schools which have increased bank overdrafts due to the cost of maintenance and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Primary School Maintenance.
54.
I am not aware of primary schools which have increased bank overdrafts due to the cost of maintenance. In this connection I would refer the Deputy to the terms of paragraph 22 of the Constitution and Rules of Procedure for Boards of Management which are as follows:
Under no circumstances should Board's expenditure exceed their income; overdrafts or other forms of debt or excesses of expenditure over income should not be incurred at any time.
I may add that the financial provision already made in the Estimates for 1979 included the rate of capitation grant towards the operating costs of national schools to be increased from £8 to £10. A second Supplementary Estimate provided for an additional £1 per pupil to be paid in 1979 to meet the increase in heating costs.