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School Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 November 2013

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Questions (67)

Tom Barry

Question:

67. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason in the north Cork towns of Mallow and Fermoy funding is biased towards one particular school in each town to the detriment of the other second level schools. [48454/13]

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Written answers

I assume the Deputy is referring to the funding of schools within the second-level system. 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 Education and Training Board (ETB) sector, formerly known as the VEC sector, financial allocations are made to ETBs as part of a block grant. ETBs 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. The Deputy may wish to note that Circular 48/2009 clarifies issues relating to the allocation of funding to voluntary secondary schools. The circular states that capitation funding provided for general running costs and funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services may be regarded as a common grant which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities. I have no plans to amend the present funding arrangements at second level.

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