Michael Creed
Ceist:406 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education if her Department has received an application for grant assistance from a school (details supplied) in County Cork towards the cost of urgent and necessary repair works. [16383/96]
Written Answers. - Grant Aid.
My Department has no record of having received an application for works at the school referred to by the Deputy. However, the grounds surrounding the school and the basketball courts have recently been re-surfaced. This was arranged as part of the contract for the new school building.
Dermot Ahern
Ceist:407 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Education the facility, if any, within her Department for granting financial assistance to primary schools to enable them to provide classes from first class upwards with items to assist individual slow learners within those classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16384/96]
Financial assistance is not specifically granted by my Department to provide items to assist individual slow learners. The scheme of capitation grants, however, is designed to assist schools with their general operating costs, including the cost of equipment.
I have made significant improvements in these grants since the commencement of my term in office. The standard capitation grant for primary schools has been increased from £33 in the 1992-93 school year to £45 in the 1995-96 school year.
I am satisfied that these increases represent a very positive step towards improving the financial position of primary schools and are a considerable achievement in light of the tight budgetary constraints.