Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 November 2022
333. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the general rules under which a special school is eligible to access administration support; and if there is any flexibility to these rules. [56279/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and wish to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
My Department provides funding to all recognised Primary and Post-Primary schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating, lighting and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services, such as administration.
These grants may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management has the flexibility to allocate according to its own priorities. Boards of Management of schools are responsible for the employment of grant funded ancillary staff and it is a matter for each school to determine the level of ancillary services required.
In mainstream Primary Schools the Ancillary Services Grant is based on enrolments on 30 September in the current school year. In order to assist with the extra costs associated with the running costs of classrooms with a small number of pupils operating specialist provision, Special schools are paid the Ancillary Services Grant based on the number of authorised fulltime teaching staff approved by the Department for the relevant school. The maximum grant is paid based on a ceiling of 16 teachers.
Further information in relation to the Ancillary Grant payable at Primary level, including the current grant rates, is available in Circular 0017/2021.
