Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 7

Written Answers. - Capitation Grants.

Seán Haughey

Question:

242 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science if Our Lady of Consolation National School, Donnycarney, Dublin 5, receives a basic capitation grant of £16 as opposed to the designated £30; if so, the reason for this in view of the fact that this is a disadvantaged area; the grants this school gets towards pupil aids and home liaison; if the parish contribution of £9.50 per pupil is set by his Department or the diocese; whether this figure has been increased since 1995; if his Department will upgrade the capitation figure and realign the diocesan contribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11165/98]

I can confirm that Our Lady of Consolation National School is included in the disadvantged areas scheme and is therefore entitled to a supplementary capitation grant of £30 per pupil, in addition to the standard grant of £50 per pupil.

Each school in the disadvantaged areas scheme is advised by my Department to utilise this supplementary grant as follows: £9 per pupil to be used towards the purchase of materials/ equipment, £16 per pupil to be used towards the running costs of the school and £5 per pupil towards the promotion of home/school/community liaison activities. The supplementary capitation grant is issued to each school in the disadvantaged areas scheme on an annual basis at the beginning of each school year.

The Department provides capitation grants towards the day to day running costs of primary schools based on a standard rate of grant which currently stands at £50 per pupil. School authorities are required by the Department to supplement these grants with a local contribution, which traditionally stood at 25 per cent of the standard grant. However, this local contribution has remained unchanged since 1995 at £10 per pupil in the case of mainstream national schools and £9.50 per pupil in the case of schools designated as disadvantaged, and has not been increased in line with the standard grant.
I remind the Deputy that An Action Programme for the Millennium contains a commitment to give primary education a clear priority in allocating resources. In that context, I have secured an increase of £5 per pupil in the standard rate of capitation grant for 1998 and I will continue to seek further improvements as resources allow. I have no plans, however, to restore the 25 per cent local contribution requirement.
Top
Share