Vol. 482 No. 6
472 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount raised in primary schools through the local contribution which is added to the State capitation grant; the reason a local contribution is required at primary but not at post-primary schools; the proposals, if any, he has in relation to the abolition of the local contribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19064/97]
School authorities are required to supplement the capitation grant with a local contribution of £10 per school in the case of mainstream national schools while a rate of £9.50 per pupil applies in the case of schools designated as disadvantaged. The total amount of local contributions for the 1996-97 school year was approximately £4.5 million.
The State is required under the Constitution to provide for free primary education and to ensure that such education is available to children. This is achieved through the partnership between State and local community which is expressed in the State grant combined with the local contribution. The sum required to meet the local contribution is provided from the general funds of the parish or other analogous community.
Unlike primary schools, which are in the main parish schools, post-primary schools serve wide catchment areas and are not formally linked to a parish structure. Voluntary local contributions to the funding of such schools have traditionally been less formally structured than the parish contribution.
I have no plans at present to abolish the requirements to raise a local contribution. However, I would point out to the Deputy that the local contribution has been frozen at the rates outlined above since 1995.
