Michael Creed
Ceist:18 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will implement the Blackstock reports on the funding of secondary schools, which were published by his Department in August 1998 and June 1999. [6919/01]
Vol. 532 No. 2
18 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will implement the Blackstock reports on the funding of secondary schools, which were published by his Department in August 1998 and June 1999. [6919/01]
I want to ask a number of supplementaries and I will attempt to be brief. Did I understand the Minister to say that reports published in August 1998 and June 1999 dealing with the lack of equity in funding for proposed primary schools are still under review in his Department? The Minister went on to refer to the school services support fund. Does he accept that, while this fund is welcome, it does not bridge the gap to bring about equity and that it further perpetuates it because it does not level the playing pitch in terms of the funding available to Catholic post-primary schools as opposed to what is available to community comprehensive schools? Does he accept that a core finding of the Blackstock report is that Catholic post-primary schools receive 25% less funding per pupil relative to community and comprehensive schools and 12% less than vocational schools, and that nothing other than an immediate recognition of that and a bridging of the gap in terms of funding to be provided will resolve this problem?
To complete my reply, I assure the Deputy that it is my intention that the recommendations of the steering group on the funding of second level schools will inform policy on future school funding. We are continuing to bring about a situation where the requirements are met.
The way in which the resources are provided to second level schools reflects the different management and ownership arrangements for vocational and community schools. That is something which is obviously historical and which has developed over generations. In effect what we are doing is working towards bringing about much greater unity in this area and the school enrolments were seen in the Blackstock report as being the principal driver of school funding for all schools at second level. We are working on that basis and that is why we have increased the capitation grant and introduced a mechanism to increase the support in a supplementary way, which is what Blackstock recommended.
Does the Minister accept that an across the board increase in capitation does not deal with the inequity and while that increase is welcome, it does not deal with the discrimination that still exists and which was identified in stark terms in the Blackstock report?
I want to draw the Minister's attention to three specific issues. On the cost of insurance, the Department pays directly the cost of school insurance which, for a 500 pupil school, can be approximately £10,000 per annum for community and comprehensive schools, yet the Catholic voluntary schools have to pay this directly out of their capitation. Another area of discrimination is the provision of caretakers and secretaries. A 500 pupil community school will have one full-time secretary who is paid directly by the Department, yet the voluntary sector has to pay that money out of its allocation because the level of assistance it receives is only £10,000. In the area of cleaning and repairs, a direct grant is provided by the Department but no such provision is made for the voluntary school sector. When will the Minister implement the findings of the report?
We are in the process of implementing them. We have provided considerable additional funds and we will continue to do so. I meant to congratulate Deputy Creed on becoming spokesman on education for the main Opposition party. I wish him the best in the post. There is discretion in terms of the support fund in that not alone can it be provided for caretakers and secretaries but it can be allocated elsewhere if they so wish.
That does not bridge the gap. That is available everywhere.
I appreciate there is a big gap to be bridged but it is on its way to being bridged.