Liz McManus
Ceist:142 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the difficulties being experienced in schools, she will undertake to increase the capitation grants in order that funding is adequate to meet the needs of the pupils.
Written Answers. - School Capitation Grants.
An increase of £3.4 million was made in the 1993 provision for capitation grants for primary schools. This enabled me to increase the standard rate of grant to £33 per pupil in ordinary national schools, with pro-rata increases for certain other categories of school. This increase cost in the region of £2.8 million. The remaining £0.6 million was used to initiate further measures to assist those who are most disadvantaged.
It is my intention to improve the financial position of primary and post-primary schools to the extent that the availability of resources permits. I will be reviewing the existing rates of capitation grant to schools in the light of the results of the unit cost studies on primary and post-primary schools when summaries and my comments thereon have been prepared.