Thomas Byrne
Question:292. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of restoring capitation and related grants to primary and post-primary schools to pre-2011 levels. [31272/19]
View answerThursday, 11 July 2019
Questions (292)
Written answers
I fully recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools.
I am pleased to have been able to provide for a 5% increase in capitation funding for primary and post primary schools that will apply from the start of the 2019/20 school year. The first and full year costs of this increase is €4 million and €10 million respectively.
In addition to the 5% increase above the estimated cost of restoring capitation to pre-2011 levels in primary and post-primary schools is circa €24.7 million.
I must be prudent in the context of ongoing budgetary pressures. Where it is not possible to do everything that I would like to do in the education sector in any one year I have to prioritise, especially in the context of increasing enrolments.
It is my intention to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets.