Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2018
254. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether there is a direct relationship between the cuts to capitation grants in primary schools and the consequent shortfall in primary school funding to the need for primary schools to seek voluntary contributions from parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12575/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years. The first cuts to capitation were announced in October 2010 by the then Minister for Finance.
Budget 2018 marked the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan for Education, which has the central aim to make the Irish Education and Training service the best in Europe within a decade. In 2018, the budget for the Department of Education increased by €554 million to over €10 billion.
The process is underway for restoring grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff. The ancillary grant was increased by €6 in 2016, €5 in 2017 and €5 in 2018, in order to enable primary schools to implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.
Voluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to them that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition.
The manner in which voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management, however their collection should be such as not to create a situation where either parents or pupils could reasonably infer that the contributions take on a compulsory character.
There is no information available to my Department that may be used to asses if there is a direct relationship between the reduction in the rate of capitation grants in primary schools and the need for these schools to seek voluntary contributions.
