Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018
455. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received correspondence from a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if the school capitation grant will be increased in view of the hardship faced by schools across the country since cuts to the grant were made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1921/18]
View answerMy Department recently received the correspondence referred to by the Deputy.
I do recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years.
Budget 2018 marks the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan for Education, which has the central aim to make the Irish Education and Training service the best in Europe within a decade. In 2018, the budget for the Department of Education will increase by €554 million to over €10 billion.
Capitation funding remains a priority for me to address as part of the Action Plan.
The process is underway for restoring grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff. Circular 0079/2017 outlines the current rate increases in order to enable schools implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.
