Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 October 2018
73. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty smaller schools that do not charge voluntary contributions are having in running their schools on the capitation grant payment further to the increase in the capitation grant payable to schools in budget 2019; his plans to financially assist these schools especially DEIS schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42081/18]
View answerI recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools.
I was pleased to provide for a 5% increase in funding for capitation for primary and post primary schools that will apply from the start of the 2019/20 school year.
I must be prudent in the context of ongoing budgetary pressures and I have to prioritise where it is not possible to do everything that I would like to do in the Education Sector in any one year especially in the light of increasing enrolments.
It is my intention to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets.
Under DEIS Plan 2017, DEIS schools are in receipt of a range of supports under the School Support Programme. All DEIS schools receive a DEIS grant to support their pupils in terms of their educational needs. This additional grant is also in acknowledgement that DEIS schools do not have the same capacity to fundraise either from parents or in their communities. The DEIS grant rate was ring-fenced throughout previous Budgets and has never been reduced since its introduction. A total of €16.4 m was issued in DEIS grants for the 18/19 school year, made up of €12.3m to primary schools and €4m to post primary schools.
Voluntary contributions to schools by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to them that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition and that a child's place in the school or continued enrolment is not dependent on a willingness to make a contribution.
The manner in which voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management, however their collection should be such as not to create a situation where either parents or pupils could reasonably infer that the contributions take on a compulsory character. As voluntary contributions are used by schools for many different purposes it is not my intention to seek to abolish them.
The Parent and Charter Bill will provide for parents to be provided better information including in relation to school accounts and the use of voluntary contributions.
