I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Education and Science Estimates for 2007. I normally begin by outlining any changes in how the Revised Book of Estimates is presented. In recent years we have made a number of changes to consolidate various subheads and, generally, to enhance the presentation and readability of the Estimates. Last year, a number of new subheads were put in place to cater for new services. For 2007, we have made a number of further changes to enhance presentation. While all of these are referred to in the footnotes to the published Estimates, it is worth drawing the attention of the committee to a number of these.
In subhead C4, we have brought together funding for the non-teaching staff in primary schools that previously appeared under three different subheads. We have similarly consolidated some non-teaching staff on the second level side in subhead D3. A further major consolidation involves bringing the funding for the university and institute of technology sector together under subhead E.4, following the designation of the institutes under the Higher Education Authority. Subhead C7 provides funding for the centres for young offenders. As responsibility for these centres is transferring to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Health Service Executive from 1 March 2007, this subhead only contains funding for the period until that date. This Department will, however, continue to fund teaching services in the centres.
I will refer to the introduction of the annual output statement, a copy of which each member has received. The background to the production of output statements lies in the series of significant reforms of the Estimates and budget process announced by the Minister for Finance in budget 2006. The presentation of these statements will improve accountability and provide clearer evidence of the results of public spending. My Department's statement is designed to illustrate the key outputs that will be delivered in 2007 as a result of the investment provided in the Estimates. When considering the outputs in my Department's statement it is important to recognise that the ultimate goal in education is to improve outcomes. So, while the statement makes clear the annual outputs from investment in education, other mechanisms, such as the PISA international studies, provide valuable information on educational outcomes.
The current output statement concerns itself with the use of funding in 2007, with the intention of reporting to this committee in 2008 on the progress made. This is the first year of the output statements and it is anticipated that the statements will improve over time and following engagement with committee members and others. My Department will be happy to consider any suggestions regarding possible improvements.
The year 2007 will be another record year for increased investment in education, with an increase of 9% on last year's outturn. A sum of €8.6 billion is being provided to support improvements across the education sector. This compares with €2.9 billion in 1997 and €5.4 billion in 2002. The sheer scale of the increased investment in education provided in recent years is testament to how central education is to the Government's social and economic agenda.
The results of the investment are clear: thousands of extra teachers working in better school buildings throughout the country; a virtual trebling of day-to-day funding for primary schools; dramatically improved supports for children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas; significant increases in the number of young people going to college; and the creation of a new tier of fourth level education that will be vital to supporting future economic growth.
The focus of additional spending in 2007 is on making even further improvements in each of these areas, starting with investment in schools, to which programme A of the output statement refers. Teachers are a school's most valuable resource. The Government has shown an unprecedented commitment to increasing the number of teachers and providing better support for them to enable them to do their best for our children. There are now 10,000 more teachers than in 1997. The size of the average primary class has been reduced to 24. Children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas are getting more support than ever before. Indeed, with all of the resource and other support teachers now working in our schools there is one teacher for every 17 primary school children and for every 13 post-primary children.
Very significant improvements have been made and we are determined to go even further. The Estimates provide for a further 800 extra primary teachers next September including the Government commitment to reduce class sizes. As well as providing additional teachers, I am conscious of the need to ensure an environment in all schools that is conducive to learning. Last year, we provided €2 million towards implementation of the recommendations of the task force on student behaviour. For 2007, we have increased this provision significantly to €8 million. This is in addition to the resources already devoted to guidance counselling, home-school-community liaison and other measures that have a positive effect on student behaviour.
I am also determined to improve the funding allocated to schools to meet their day-to-day running costs. At both primary and second level, the Estimates provide for increases in capitation funding that are way beyond the rate of inflation. At primary level, the basic rate of capitation has been increased by €18 per pupil since January, 50% higher than the increase given last year. This means that every primary school is receiving €163.58 per pupil to cover expenses such as heating, lighting and insurance compared with €57 per pupil in 1997. The ancillary services grant has also been increased by €6.50 to €145.50 per pupil giving primary schools more money to cover the cost of secretaries and caretakers. Taken together these increases mean that primary schools eligible for the full ancillary services grant are receiving €24.50 per pupil this year to cover their day-to-day running costs. For a primary school with 300 pupils, this amounts to €93,000 or approximately €7,400 more than last year.
At second level, capitation has also been increased by €18 to €316 per student and the support services grant has risen by €5 to €112. In addition, voluntary schools are receiving an extra €25 per student to continue the process towards equalisation of funding measures for that sector. This compares with a €10 increase in the equalisation grant last year. With these increases, a typical 500 student voluntary school will receive €293,000 in 2007 to meet its day-to-day costs, outside of teacher pay which is also covered by the Department of Education and Science. These capitation allocations and all of the other funding measures to support schools and the various related outputs are detailed in pages 7 to 11 of the output statement.
I will now deal with special education, an area in which investment has increased dramatically in recent years as a result of the Government's determination to reverse the historical neglect of children with special needs. As the special education sub-programme of programme A in the output statement shows, during 2007 there will be almost 17,000 staff dealing solely with children with special needs in our mainstream and special schools. This is made up of 8,400 teachers and more than 8,550 special needs assistants. Members will be aware that only a few years ago the number of special needs staff was just a fraction of this. More than €820 million will be spent on special education in 2007. The vast majority of this expenditure is accounted for in programme A.
Tackling disadvantage is another major priority for the Government. Since I launched the DEIS action plan, extra teachers have been provided to reduce class sizes, more children have gained access to intensive programmes for literacy at an early stage, the school meals programme has been extended and extra guidance counselling hours have been allocated to second level schools. Some 90,000 children at primary level and 60,000 at post-primary level are benefitting from the new schools support programme under DEIS. With a number of non-DEIS schools continuing to have access to previous schemes, more than 200,000 children are benefiting from the home-school-community liaison scheme. This year overall expenditure on measures to tackle disadvantage at all levels will amount to approximately €730 million, an increase of €95 million or 15% on the 2006 Estimates allocation. Approximately €500 million of this is accounted for in programme A of the output statement with the remainder relating to expenditure at third level and in the youth sector. As well as providing for the full-year cost of initiatives, such as the 22% increase in the top-up grant for third level students in the current academic year, this increased investment will also allow further roll-out of the DEIS plan.
I will now deal with investment in higher education which is benefiting from record increases again this year. Members will be aware that support for reform and development at third level and the creation of world class excellence at fourth level are now central Government priorities. In the recent past, new legislation has been enacted to create a unified strategic framework for the sector. The new multi-annual strategic innovation fund for higher education has been launched and the multibillion euro strategy for science, technology and innovation has been published. The extra €117 million in day-to-day spending being provided in 2007 for institutes and universities will allow us to maintain and accelerate this momentum of progress. This represents an increase of 9% on the 2006 Estimates provision. It includes funding for the further expansion of places in medical education, including the commencement of graduate entry programmes and an extra €45 million under the strategic innovation fund. It provides for funding for the further expansion of places in medical education, including the commencement of graduate entry programmes and an extra €45 million under the strategic innovation fund. This year will also see further major research and development funding increases as we set about implementing the Government's ambitious strategy for science, technology and innovation. An additional €12 million in current funding is being provided for the research programmes under the Education Vote, an increase of 15% on 2006. This brings current research funding to €93 million this year.
The pace at which we are expanding our research and development effort can be illustrated by the fact that over the three Estimates packages I have had the honour of introducing, current funding for research has grown by €40 million or 75%. This massive commitment to the enhancement of our fourth level research capacity will gain further impetus in 2007 with the allocation of awards under the fourth cycle of PRTLI and through the implementation of co-ordinated action across the higher education system, public research agencies and enterprise sector in implementing the Government's strategy. Pages 16-18 of the output statement detail the various inputs and associated outputs.
Finally, the capital allocation in the Estimates illustrates the ongoing commitment of the Government to improving the physical infrastructure of our schools and colleges. Over €540 million will be spent on school building projects in 2007, €306 million at primary and €236 million at post-primary levels. The output from this programme is detailed on page 20 of the outputs statement and includes 140 large-scale projects which will deliver almost 15,000 additional permanent places, the extension and modernisation of facilities in existing schools for more than 35,000 pupils and almost €120 million to be invested in 1,100 projects to be delivered under the summer works scheme. In total, more than 1,500 projects will be delivered in 2007. In addition, almost €156 million will be spent on third level capital projects, more than €50 million, or 35%, more than last year.
That is a brief summary of the main elements of my Department's Estimates for 2007. There are so many different areas I could cover, but these are the ones I should like to highlight today. I hope that the new annual output statement will contribute to the committee's deliberations on the Estimates and I repeat the invitation for any suggestions the committee might have for improvement in the presentation of this statement. I commend the Estimates to the committee and will be pleased to respond to any questions.