Vol. 497 No. 6
85 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which his Department can justify the shortfall in capitation grant at primary level in spite of the constitutional obligation to provide free primary education. [25887/98]
My Department provides capitation grants towards the day-to-day running costs of primary schools. School authorities are required to supplement the capitation grant with a local contribution, which traditionally amounted to 25 per cent of the State grant. Since 1995 the local contribution has been frozen at £10 per pupil in the case of mainstream schools, and at £9.50 per pupil in the case of schools designated as disadvantaged. In effect, therefore, the required local contribution has fallen well below the traditional 25 per cent. The State is obliged under the Constitution to provide for free primary education and to ensure that such education is available to children. This is achieved through the partnership between the State and local community which is expressed in the State grant combined with the local contribution.
