As the Deputy is aware, my Department issues grants to schools in instalments throughout the school year. Good budgeting by Boards of Management should ensure that funding and grants received during the year are managed to cater for costs arising throughout the school year.
A change in these arrangements would not result in an overall increase in funding to schools.
However, given that my Department’s funding from the Exchequer operates on a calendar-year basis, there would be an additional cost associated with a change in the instalment arrangements. There is no capacity within current budgets to manage such a change.