Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 Dec 1998

Vol. 497 No. 5

Written Answers - Capitation Grants.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

341 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will increase the special capitation grant which is paid towards clerical and caretaker services in a number of schools in view of the fact that this grant has not been increased since 1992 and the ceiling of £15,000 has not been raised for schools where there are more than 500 students in attendance; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many schools receiving this grant have to find a considerable shortfall through fundraising in order to pay for their clerical and caretaking services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25595/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

Arising from the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, PESP, a scheme was introduced in 1992 whereby my Department provides additional capitation grants for primary schools towards the cost of caretaking and clerical services.

Under the PESP scheme, schools receive grants of £30 per pupil, £15 per pupil in respect of each service, to a maximum of £15,000 per annum, which are paid as additions to the standard per capita grant. The scheme, by its nature, is flexible and gives boards of management full discretion as to the level and extent of the services to which the grants are to be applied.

Since its introduction in 1992, the scheme of additional capitation grants to schools in respect of such services has been expanded in line with undertakings given in the PESP. The priority has been to extend the scheme in the first instance to schools which have no caretaking or clerical provision already. In this regard the scheme has been extended to include more schools by reducing the qualifying enrolment threshold to its current figure of 195 pupils, with an ultimate target of providing additional capitation grants to all primary schools with 100 pupils or more.

I assure the Deputy that I remain committed to improvements in the provision of additional assistance to schools for caretaking and clerical services. The position of those schools which are currently in receipt of the maximum grant available under the scheme will be examined in the context of any improvements to the scheme which may be implemented in the future.