Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004
219 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if all primary schools in Counties Sligo and Leitrim will be reimbursed for water charges in view of the fact that these added charges will have to be passed on to parents of the students; the plans she has in place to increase the funding; the amount that will be granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31871/04]
View answerPrimary schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. These grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs of national schools which would include heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, painting, teaching aids and other miscellaneous charges. The capitation grant has been increased substantially in recent years. Since 1997, the standard rate of capitation grant has been increased from £45 —€57.14 — per pupil to €121.58 with effect from 1 January 2004, an increase of almost 113% in the period. Provision has been made for a further increase of €12 per pupil in the capitation grant bringing it to €133.58 in the current school year.
Local authority service and other charges payable to the various local authorities do not come within the remit of my Department. It would be a matter for the local authorities to decide whether schools are liable to pay such charges. Where it is decided that schools are liable for such charges, the cost would form part of the normal running costs of schools and would fall to be met from the capitation funding which schools have received from my Department.
It would not be feasible for my Department to introduce specific schemes whereby grant assistance would be provided to schools in respect of individual charges such as water charges.
