Capitation Grants

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 October 2013

Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Questions (263, 264, 265)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

263. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline in tabular form the rate of capitation grant paid this year and every year since 1997. [40765/13]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

264. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount spent on the capitation grant paid this year and every year since 1997. [40766/13]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

265. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline in tabular form the total amount spent on the school book grant this year and every year since 1997. [40767/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 to 265, inclusive, together.

My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised primary schools and post primary schools within the free education scheme. My Department provides funding to primary schools by way of per capita grants, subject to a minimum grant equivalent to 60 pupils. The funding arrangements made by my Department for post primary schools reflect the sectoral division of our second-level system. At the core of all arrangements is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding. My Department provides funding to Community and Comprehensive schools on a budget basis that is based mainly on pupil numbers, but also take into account additional factors which vary from school to school such as age of buildings, size of school etc.

With regard to the VEC sector financial allocations are made to VECs as part of a block grant. VECs are given a high level of autonomy in the management and appropriation of this grant and each is allowed to distribute its allocations in line with its priorities and perceptions of need. My Department provides funding to voluntary secondary schools by way of per capita grants. Funding for book grants was withdrawn in 2009, except in the case of DEIS schools. Funding was re-instated in 2010 for all schools. Fee charging schools do not receive any capitation or related grants from my Department. Information going back to 1997, as requested by the Deputy, is not readily available. The per capita rates and total expenditure in recent years are outlined in the following document.

Post Primary Capitation and SSSF rates 2003-2013

-	Capitation	School Services Support Fund (SSSF)
2003	€266.49	€127
2004	€274.49	€131
2005	€286	€145
2006	€298	€159
2007	€316	€189
2008	€331	€204
2009	€345	€212
2010	€345	€212
2011	€328	€201
2012	€317	€201
2013	€306	€201

Primary Capitation and Ancillary rates 2003-2013

-	Primary Capitation	Primary Ancillary
2003	€111.58	€102
2004	€121.58	€127
2005	€133.58	€133
2006	€145.58	€139
2007	€163.58	€145.50
2008	€178.58	€151.50
2009	€200	€155
2010	€200	€155
2011	€190	€147
2012	€178	€147
2013	€176	€147

Primary and Post Primary Capitation Expenditure 2006-2012

-	Primary Capitation Expenditure*	Voluntary Sector Post Primary Capitation Expenditure*
2006	€134,028,786	€91,324,187
2007	€149,812,343	€100,450,756
2008	€165,634,230	€100,165,292
2009	€184,385,345	€101,213,329
2010	€193,281,276	€107,237,915
2011	€186,933,442	€104,280,000
2012	€183,373,000	€102,019,264
2013	€187,680,000 (estimated)	€102,910,000 (estimated)

*figures include enhanced capitation grants for special needs pupils, programme grants and book grants since 2010.

The book grant rates for 2010 - 2013 are as follows: Primary DEIS €21, Primary non-DEIS €11, Post-primary DEIS €39, Post-primary non-DEIS €24Funding allocated to book grants by the Department since 2006-2012.

Year	Amount
2006	€12,995,966
2007	€14,257,084
2008	€14,421,563
2009	€7,000,000
2010	€14,671,063
2011	€14,883,440
2012	€15,000,000
2013	€15,000,000 (estimated)