Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Dec 2003

Vol. 576 No. 1

Written Answers. - Schools Funding.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

177 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the action he proposes to take on foot of the conclusions of a Government report (details supplied) that showed that secondary schools receive 25% less per pupil than community and comprehensive schools; if representations for additional financial assistance for the provision of secretaries and caretakers, grants for insurance and annual grants for cleaning and minor repairs have been received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28830/03]

Ciarán Cuffe

Question:

201 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will consider making available grants to secondary schools for insurance so that they can obtain similar funding to that available for community and comprehensive schools. [29167/03]

Ciarán Cuffe

Question:

202 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the doubling of insurance costs over the past three years, from ?9,434.11 in 2001 to ?19,999.87 in 2003 of a school (details supplied) in the Dún Laoghaire constituency; and the measures he intends to take to reduce the spiralling cost of school insurance. [29168/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 177, 201 and 202 together.

Voluntary secondary schools, including schools in County Dublin, are funded on the same basis as secondary schools throughout the country. The funding arrangements for voluntary secondary schools are structured mainly on the basis of capitation grants with additional grants for secretarial and caretaking services.

There have been significant improvements in the level of funding for voluntary secondary schools. In the context of the 2004 estimates, I recently announced a further improvement in the per capita grant to €274 per pupil, as against the rate of €224.74 that applied in 1997. The increase will bring the grant to €312 in the case of disadvantaged schools.

In addition, secondary schools have benefited under the school services support initiative. The initial grant of €25 per pupil that was introduced for second level schools in September 2000 was increased to €89 per pupil from September 2002. It was further increased by €10 per pupil from January 2003 to €99 per pupil. In the case of voluntary secondary schools the grant was increased by a further €28 to €117 in September 2002 bringing the support services grant in the case of such schools to €127 per pupil from January last. In the context of the 2004 Estimates the grant will be further increased to €131 per pupil. The increase is in addition to the range of equalisation grants of up to €15,554 per school, €44.44 per pupil, per annum that have also been approved for voluntary secondary schools.

For a secondary school with 500 pupils it amounts to extra funding of up to €105,684 per annum and annual grants of €242,501, €261,551 in the case of disadvantaged schools, towards general expenses and support services. Schools are afforded considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. This is in my view a preferable approach to putting in place grants for specific initiatives, including those referred to by the Deputies.

Tackling the difficulties that are being caused by high insurance premia is a clear priority for the Government and for my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. A key concern to which the Tánaiste is giving priority is the cost and availability of liability insurance. She has announced a comprehensive programme for the fundamental reform of the Irish insurance market. The Government considers that these measures constitute a programme that is capable of delivering real reform and that reductions in insurance costs will translate into significant reductions in premia.

I am committed to further improving the funding of voluntary secondary schools in the light of available resources.