asked the Minister for Education her views on whether the Church of Ireland schools had adequate funding, given the level of 1987 estimates; and the steps which will be taken to arrange that full services will be continued in future years.
Written Answers. - Church of Ireland Schools.
595.
Within the constraints imposed by the overall level of resources available every effort is made to ensure that the Church of Ireland bodies aided by my Department are funded adequately. This policy is reflected in the level of funding provided for the Church of Ireland College of Education for primary teachers (staff pay costs are met in full and a grant is made towards the running costs of the college and the juniorate, Coláiste Móibhí), in the fact that small national schools are paid a capitation grant at a minimum rate, and in the grant paid to the Education Committee of the Church of Ireland Representative Body towards the cost of transporting eligible children to school by private means where they live outside the range of school transport services.
In so far as the post primary sector is concerned I am satisfied that the level of grant payable to the Secondary Education Committee for Protestant Schools, on which the Church of Ireland is represented, is generous given current financial constraints.
The grant is administered by the Secondary Education Committee and the distribution of the grant is left to the committee's discretion. It is a matter for that body and for the management authorities of the schools concerned to arrange that full services would be continued in future years.
In so far as my Department is concerned, care is always taken to ensure that, in the distribution of available funds, the Protestant second level schools receive equity of treatment.