Peadar Tóibín
Question:496. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education if there is any financial assistance available to a school (details supplied). [14694/24]
View answerTuesday, 9 April 2024
Questions (496)
Written answers
My Department provides funding to recognised Primary schools by way of per capital grants which is based on school enrolment. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools are permitted to regard the capitation and ancillary grants as a combined grant in line with circular 40/2009.
Schools may continue to utilise funding provided across the range of grants to ensure adequate cash flow at certain times. However, income and expenditure must continue to be recorded in school accounts and attributed to the individual grants as appropriate.
In addition to these grants, €20 million in funding was issued in October 2023, to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. This funding is the first tranche of an overall additional €60 million funding announced as part of Budget 2024 measures designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. A further €40 million in funding was delivered in early 2024.
Primary schools with less than 60 pupils are paid the Capitation and the Ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils.
The school referred to by the Deputy has received capitation, ancillary and cost of living funding based on the enrolment of 60 pupils.
The Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU), funded by my Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters. To be of assistance, officials from my Department have contacted the FSSU, and requested that they contact the school directly to provide advice and support as required, in the first instance.