I propose to take Questions Nos. 271 and 272 together.
The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level schools reflect the different management and ownership arrangements for vocational schools and community colleges, comprehensive and community schools and voluntary secondary schools.
At the core of funding arrangements at second level is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding. Voluntary secondary schools are funded on a per capita grant basis. Financial allocations for vocational schools and community colleges are made to the vocational education committees as part of a block grant, which also covers the VEC head office overheads and other activities apart from the second-level programme. Community and comprehensive schools are funded on a budget basis. Schools have considerable discretion as to how this funding is best utilised in the interests of their pupils and schools.
Significant improvements have also been made in the level of funding to secondary schools. The standard per capita grant from €224.74 that applied in 1997, was increased to €256.49 in September 2001, and was further increased to €266.49 in September 2002. An additional per capita grant of €38.09 is paid to disadvantaged schools bringing the total per capita grant in the case of such schools to over €300.
In addition, under the school services support initiative, secondary schools have benefited from further significant increases in the support grant from €25.40 per pupil in 2000 to €88.88 from September 2002 and to €99 per pupil from 1 January 2003.