Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:599. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills the full-year cost of implementing provisions (details supplied). [35058/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 24 July 2018
Ceisteanna (599)
Freagraí scríofa
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to full year cost of measures is set out in the following table.
Providing free primary and secondary school books to all pupils across all fully publicly funded schools
School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books for parents. The most recent figures available indicate that circa 95% of primary schools and 68% of post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme.
My Department supports the operation of book rental schemes through the funding provided under its school books grant scheme. Under this scheme, my Department provides funding of €16.5 million annually to primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme.
A survey from Barnardos indicates that it would require an additional investment of around €40 million per annum to provide all school children with free school books. It should be noted that this €40 million estimate is in addition to the Department's existing annual investment under the school books grant scheme.
Abolishing all fees for third level students both capitation and tuition
Based on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2016/17 (and were therefore liable to pay the Student Contribution), and taking into account overall expected increases in student numbers, it is estimated that the net cost to my Department of abolishing the Student Contribution for the 2018/19 academic year would be €203m. This figure takes into account the resulting reduction to my Department's Student Grant Scheme budget.
With regard to funding towards tuition fees at undergraduate level, my Department provided funding of c€300m in the academic year 2016/17 under the free fees schemes.
Restoring the capitation grant to pre-2010 levels
The figure provided in the following table is based on the cost associated with restoring capitation rates for Primary and Post-Primary schools in the Free Education Scheme to 2010 levels.
Improvements have been made for the restoration of 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. A similar type approach in relation to improvements in grant funding was applied as appropriate, at post-primary level.
Restoring student grants to pre-2008 levels.
It is not possible to definitively calculate the cost of the various adjustments that have been made to the student support system since 2008, particularly in light of the demographic changes that have taken place.
There is now one statutory based scheme operated by a centralised awarding authority whereas in 2008 there were four separate schemes operated by sixty-six awarding authorities. In the interregnum the scheme has undergone many changes which make it difficult to compare like with like.
To put it in context, in 2008/09 there were 57,261 students who benefited from grant support at a cost of €264m, whereas in 2016/17 there were 78,904 students in receipt of grant support at a cost of €365m.
However, it is estimated that it would cost in the region of €100m to reverse all of the adjustments that have been made to the student grant scheme since 2008.
Abolishing student fees for all EU postgraduate students.
The cost to the State associated with the abolition of postgraduate fees is dependent on varying factors associated with type study i.e. full-time or part-time, varying fees associated with different course types and higher fees for international students. However, based on the fact that the academic year 2016/2017, there were 11,671 EU students registered on postgraduate courses, and using the average cost of an EU postgraduate course, the estimated cost to the State of abolishing fees for EU postgraduate students would be €80m. It should also be noted that under my Department's Student Grant Scheme, funding of €10m was provided for postgraduate tuition fees in 2016/17; taking this into account, the net additional cost to my Department would therefore be in the region of €70m.
Restoring support for guidance teachers to pre-2008 levels
Following Budget 2018, the equivalent of 100 additional guidance posts have been allocated to our second-level schools with effect from September 2018. The annual cost of restoring these 100 posts is in the region of €6m.
Measures announced by my Department as part of Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 mean that 500 of the 600 guidance posts that were withdrawn in Budget 2012 will be restored to schools from September 2018. Schools were advised in early February 2018 in their staffing schedule of their guidance allocation for the 2018/19 school year.
Full year cost of measures
|
Details |
Estimated Full Year Cost |
|
Indicative estimate of providing free primary and secondary school books to all pupils across all fully publicly funded schools based on a survey by Barnardos |
€40m |
|
Abolishing student contribution for third level students |
€203m |
|
Abolishing tuition fees paid through Free Fees Initiative for third level students |
€300m |
|
Restoring the capitation grant to Primary and Post-Primary schools to pre-2010 levels |
€35.6m |
|
Abolishing student fees for all EU post graduate students |
€70m |
|
Restoring student grants to pre-2008 levels |
In excess of €100m |
|
Restoring support for guidance teachers to pre-2008 levels |
€6m |