Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Feb 2003

Vol. 562 No. 3

Written Answers - Departmental Funding.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

67 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will take into account the additional burden being placed on schools in north Dublin and elsewhere where charges for waste collection from schools are now to be levied; if he will alleviate this burden by paying for the collection charge or issuing a reasonable number of tags in the case of schools in Fingal opting for the tag-a-bag system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5879/03]

Primary schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants and the local contribution. The grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs of national schools which would include heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, painting, teaching aids and other miscellaneous charges. The standard rate of capitation grant has been increased substantially in recent years, from €57.14, £45, in 1997 to €111.58 in 2003. This represents an increase of 95% in the capitation grant over that period. Local authority service and other charges payable to the various local authorities do not come within the remit of my Department. Local authorities have to decide whether schools are liable to pay such charges. If it is decided that schools are liable for such charges, the cost forms part of the normal running costs of schools and are met from the capitation funding which schools receive from my Department. It would not be feasible for my Department to introduce specific schemes whereby grant assistance would be provided to schools in respect of individual charges such as water or refuse charges.

Barr
Roinn