Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 1

Adjournment Debate. - Insurance Costs.

Mr. F. McGrath

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this important local and national issue which relates to the high insurance premiums and the need for a computer room at Árd Scoil Rís, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9.

Last night I had the privilege of meeting with the principal, staff and parents' council at Ard Scoil Rís. I was immediately impressed by the partnership approach of the school. Here we had a classic example of parents and teachers working together in the interests of their pupils. They have a genuine interest in Irish education and a vision for the future. The first item of concern was the high insurance premium of €24,000 per annum. This is too high and totally unfair on the school. It is a major dent in the school's budget. I call on the Minister to intervene and assist Ard Scoil Rís with the cost of its insurance.

Parents' councils should not be about raising money for basics in education. Services such as heat, light, insurance and wages should come from the Department of Education and Science. Parents' councils should exist to assist by way of fund raising projects for school extras.

The Minister and the Department have a duty to properly fund schools and to do something about the discrimination against schools like Árd Scoil Rís which are affiliated to religious orders. Community, comprehensive and vocational schools do not have to pay such insurance as it is paid by the Department. This is not fair and is simply not good enough. Parents and taxpayers are tired of this unfair situation. I hope the Minister of State will provide me with a positive response on what the Department is going to do in this regard. I am looking for sensible and practical proposals of assistance for Árd Scoil Rís.

I urge the Tanáiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Harney, and the Cabinet to consider fast-tracking the insurance reform proposals and to bring legislation before the House so that we can reduce insurance costs for schools such as Árd Scoil Rís which need support and finance now. I call on the Minister to do something for the school.

The second issue of major concern for the parents' council of Ard Scoil Rís is the urgent need for a computer room. This request should be implemented immediately. IT and computers are a way of the future and, in the long-term, the development of our economy. There is no doubt that in this IT age no school can claim to give a comprehensive or adequate education without access to computer facilities. This excellent school has the software, hardware and trained personnel needed but does not have a room to house its IT department. The estimated cost of such a room is approximately €200,000. Funding to develop an educational service for its pupils is urgently required. This is a disgrace and something must be done. I call on the Minister and the Department to deliver financial aid towards insurance costs at Árd Scoil Rís and a grant to develop its computer room.

This issue is part of the engine room of Irish education services and the future of Irish education. I urge the Minister to assist Árd Scoil Rís now.

Mr. N. Ahern

I am glad the Deputy has given me the opportunity of outlining to the House the position of the Department of Education and Science regarding the allocation of current funding to second level schools, including Árd Scoil Rís, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9, to meet the cost of insurance. I am also glad to have the opportunity to address the provision of a computer room at the school.

School insurance arrangements have evolved in a manner that reflects the different traditions and structures of the voluntary secondary, comprehensive, community and VEC sectors. In the case of voluntary secondary schools, it is a matter for the managerial authorities of individual schools to negotiate and arrange insurance cover on school property and against public liability. Grant aid towards voluntary secondary school costs are provided by the Department of Education and Science by way of per capita grants which may be used for this purpose.

In the case of vocational schools and colleges, the relevant vocational education committee arranges insurance cover. With regard to community and comprehensive schools, the State provides a general indemnity to the authorities of these schools in lieu of their taking out insurance cover against liabilities which may arise. Since 1997, the Government has made significant improvements in the level of funding to voluntary secondary schools. For example, the standard per capita grant in 1997 was €224.74. This has been increased to €266.49 in the current school year. A capitation grant of €133,778 will issue to Árd Scoil Rís in the current school year. In addition, under the school services support initiative, second level schools have benefited from further significant increases in the support grant from €25.40 per pupil in 2000 to €99 per pupil during the current school year.

Further improvements introduced by the Government include a range of equalisation measures designed to reduce historic anomalies in the funding arrangements for the different school types at second level. Under the terms of a recent equalisation measure, the support services grant was further increased by €28 per pupil with effect from September 2002. This brought the support services grant for secondary schools to €116.88 per pupil from September 2002 and to €127 per pupil from 1 January 2003. This increase is in addition to the range of equalisation grants of up to €15,554 per school or, €44.44 per pupil per annum, which was approved for secondary schools in December 2001. In total, Ard Scoil Rís will receive €77,467 under the school services support fund in 2002-03. A grant of €22,220 will also issue in respect of secretary and caretaker grants under the PESP scheme.

For a school with 500 pupils, this amounts to extra funding of up to €100,000 per annum and annual grants of €236,761 towards general expenses and support services, including insurance costs. This amounts to more than €255,811 in the case of disadvantaged schools.

In addition to the level of current funding detailed above, I can further report to the House that the Department of Education and Science recently provided capital funding of over €66,000 for works at Árd Scoil Rís. These works were necessary to ensure continuance of insurance cover at the school.

With regard to the provision of a computer room at the school, an application in this matter is currently under consideration in the planning section of the Department of Education and Science. Consistent with normal practice, an examination of all relevant issues is being undertaken with a view to determining the long-term accommodation needs of the school. This analysis, when complete, together with the school's long-term projected enrolment, will provide a basis for making a decision on the school's request.

The 2003 schools building programme has been published and is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie. Given the level of financial commitments to be met from projects already in construction, I do not envisage that the Department of Education and Science will be in a position during this year to initiate architectural planning for further building projects, including the provision of a computer room at Árd Scoil Rís. This matter can, of course, be considered in next year's capital programme. I will pass on the Deputy's comments to the Minister.

The Dáil adjourned at 10.30 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 12 March 2003.