Emmet Stagg
Question:89 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science the level of Government funding provided for the running costs of all primary schools; the actual costs incurred; and the plans he has to meet this shortfall. [21472/00]
Written Answers. - Capitation Grants.
The main source of funding of the run ning costs of primary schools is the capitation grant. As the Deputy may be aware, the standard capitation grant at primary level, which stood at £45 in 1997, has increased to £71 per pupil in the current school year. Total expenditure on capitation grants increased from £25.367 million in 1997 to a projected £33.939 million in the current year.
In addition to the increases in capitation funding, the Government has also increased funding to primary schools by way of a number of grants issued to primary schools since 1997. These include the library grant (1998), amounting to £4 million, the science and infants grant (1999) which totalled £3.1 million, and the reading initiative grant (1999) which amounted to £3.7 million. It addition, it is intended to circulate details of a physical education grant and a visual arts grant to all primary schools in the near future.
Furthermore, under a minor works grant scheme, funds are provided to primary schools towards items such as replacement of windows, roof repairs, repainting and redecorating, as well as improvements to mechanical and electrical services. A total of £14.3 million has been provided under this scheme in the current year.
My Department also provides funding to primary schools towards the cost of caretaking and clerical services. In the current year a total of £7.4 million is being spent on full time school caretakers and secretaries, while a further £12.2 million is being paid on a per capita basis to schools to enable them to acquire the services of caretakers and secretaries. All primary schools now have access to funding for caretaking and clerical services, and the total funding in 2001 will be further increased to £16.8 million.
I regret that it is not possible to give details of the costs incurred by primary schools, as requested by the Deputy. Running costs vary significantly from school to school, due to factors such as the size, location, age and condition of the school. Therefore, it is not possible to make valid comparisons between the level of grants paid by my Department and the actual costs of running a school.
The increases in the capitation grant, allied to the additional grant funding constitute a meaningful response to the need for increased funding in the primary sector. I am committed to improving further the levels of funding to primary schools.
Question No. 90 taken with Question No. 82.