Austin Deasy
Ceist:414 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that capitation grants are increased in the forthcoming budget to cover the running costs of national schools. [22472/98]
Written Answers. - Capitation Grants.
The Government's commitment to giving primary education a clear priority in the allocation of resoruces is set out in the policy document, An Action Programme for the Millennium. The Deputy will recall that the 1998 Estimates provided for an overall increase of almost 12 per cent in expenditure on primary education over the 1997 budget allocation. In this context, the 11 per cent increase in the standard rate of capitation grant at primary level represented an important step forward in the process of increasing capitation funding at primary level. I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to continue to effect significant improvements in the level of funding at primary level, and this commitment will be further reflected in the 1999 Estimates.