Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 November 2024
164. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Education the annual capitation grants allocated from 2011 to 2024 inclusive; the amount to be provided in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45871/24]
View answerMy Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for cases where a secretary is now paid from my Department’s payroll as per Circular 0036/2022.
The current standard rate of Capitation grant is €200 per pupil in primary schools and €345 per student in post-primary schools.
Primary schools with fewer than 60 pupils are paid the Capitation and the Ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils. At post-primary level, schools with fewer than 200 students receive ancillary-related grants on the basis of having 200 students.
As part of the capitation package in Budget 2025 I am pleased to have secured over €30 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This represents an increase of circa 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates. This increase is on top of the circa 9.2% increase from last year’s budget. This will bring the standard rate of Capitation grant to the level of €224 per pupil in primary schools and €386 per student in post-primary schools from September 2025. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.
In addition to these grants, €45 million in cost of living supports will issue in 2024, to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. This additional funding announced in Budget 2025 is designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. Schools should also ensure that they are availing of the available OGP procurement frameworks and getting best value for money for all school expenditure.
The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the annual Capitation expenditure from 2011 to 2016 is not readily available at this time.
The annual Capitation expenditure from 2017 to 2023 are included in the table below. It should be noted that the 2024 Capitation expenditure is not readily available as expenditure in respect of 2024 has not been finalised to date. Also, the 2025 Capitation allocation is not readily available at present.
|
Primary Expenditure |
Post Primary Expenditure |
||
|
Year |
Annual Total for Capitation |
Year |
Annual Total for Capitation |
|
€ |
€ |
||
|
2017 |
107,104,411 |
2017 |
87,902,426 |
|
2018 |
108,503,765 |
2018 |
88,988,416 |
|
2019 |
111,511,104 |
2019 |
91,696,410 |
|
2020 |
116,645,545 |
2020 |
98,124,855 |
|
2021 |
118,105,614 |
2021 |
101,979,090 |
|
2022 |
118,165,827 |
2022 |
106,789,227 |
|
2023 |
119,737,353 |
2023 |
114,904,371 |
