Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 March 2015
597. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the purpose of the deeds of variation in national schools; and if there was any monetary compensation involved in the deeds of variation. [13273/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe vast majority of schools are privately owned i.e. the site/building is owned by the relevant school patron. Where school building projects are funded through grant-aid, the Department secures these grants through leases (known as Charging Leases or Declarations of Trust) with the relevant landowner. These leases protect the Minister's capital investment in the school property and require that the property be used as a school for a set period.
In the 1990s, it was agreed Deeds of Variation would be executed on Charging Leases/ Declarations of Trust. The Deeds of Variation provided for a variation on the original terms of a Charging lease or Declaration of Trust, in order to provide security for the denominational ethos of a school where a patron owned the property.
There was no monetary compensation involved; however the patron had made property available for the purposes of the provision of education.
