I propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 246 together. The authorities of Kilkenny College indicated that they were considering that the long term future of the College might be better secured by entering the Free Scheme. The Government is committed to supporting access of minority denomination communities to schools that are of their tradition or ethos. The provision made by Kilkenny College caters for the needs of children from the Protestant community spread across several counties. Accordingly, I was happy to have officials of my Department work with the college authorities to work through a basis on which such a transfer would be feasible if that was their ultimate judgement. The Deputy will appreciate that over the course of those detailed discussions the College authorities shared information in confidence with the Department and while I wish to respect that position at the same time I do want to provide the Deputy with information on the arrangements made to assist and support the College through its transition. Kilkenny College will cease to charge fees with effect from the start of school year in September next and as a result my Department will in future pay the salaries of a teacher for every 19 students attending the College. This compares with one teacher for every 21 students in fee charging schools at present and which will rise to one teacher for every 23 students in September 2013. My Department will also provide capitation and related funding to the College on the same basis as every other voluntary secondary school within the Free Education Scheme. I approved specific transition arrangements in relation to the teaching staff employed by the College and also reviewed the level of exchequer funding approved by the Department for school building projects carried out by the College. The precise cost of additional exchequer expenditure in Kilkenny College will be a function later this year of the actual enrolment in the College as a school within the Free Scheme. While the arrangements made in relation to Kilkenny College were specific to its circumstances and plans to enter the Free Scheme, I have made clear that my Department will engage constructively with any fee charging school that is considering how best to secure its future. On the basis of the analysis I published earlier this year on the income from fees available to fee charging schools I expect that a minority of the fee charging schools will wish to engage with my Department, as Kilkenny College did, in order to plan for the future.
