Ms Sinéad Brett:

On behalf of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association and its member schools, I thank the Chair and the committee for the opportunity to make this short presentation this afternoon. I am accompanied by Ms Spring, who is chairperson of CPSMA. First, I acknowledge the great working relationship that the CPSMA enjoyed with the previous Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, and that it continues to enjoy with the current Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O’Sullivan, together with her officials, namely Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General; Mr. Martin Hanevy, assistant secretary; and Mr. Kevin McCarthy, assistant secretary, to name but a few.
The Irish primary education system is dependent on local voluntary effort with regard to management. Boards of management are a wonderful example of volunteerism through the commitment of approximately 20,000 members to the management of Catholic primary schools. These members receive no pay, travel expenses or subsistence. This is a very notable example of local participatory democracy. These schools are very well managed at very little cost to the State. This is an achievement that should be applauded and rewarded at a time when political leaders are calling on the public service to deliver more for less.
The functions of the board of management are set out in section 15 of the Education Act 1998. Section 15(1) states: "It shall be the duty of a board to manage the school on behalf of the Patron and for the benefit of the students and their parents and to provide or cause to be provided an appropriate education for each student at the school for which that board has responsibility." This is the board’s main function.
The provision for the funding of education was given statutory recognition in the 1998 Education Act. The funding of primary schools has been based primarily on the capitation grant. The capitation grant is paid in two moieties, 70% in January, based on enrolment on 30 September of the previous academic year, with the remaining 30% paid the following June. The capitation grant to primary schools has been progressively cut over successive budgets. In 2010 the capitation grant was €200 per pupil, but as a result of successive cuts it currently stands at €170 per pupil. The reduction of €30 per pupil has had a major negative financial impact on schools.
The minor works grant, which was paid annually to schools, was to be used by boards for ongoing maintenance such as roof repairs and repainting. The minor works grant was based on a minimum payment of €5,500 per school plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 for each pupil with special educational needs. The minor works grant issued to schools in November 2011 for the 2011 and 2012 school year but the grant was withdrawn in 2012. It was reinstated in November 2013 for the 2013-2014 school year. The Minister has indicated that the grant will only be paid in future years as funding permits. The loss of the minor works grant has had a major impact on primary schools. The minor works grant enabled schools to stay afloat until the next instalment of the capitation grant was made. In effect, schools were using the minor works grant to meet the day-to-day expenses involved in the running the school. Cuts in grants or schemes imposed by the Department have a negative impact on boards of management in the exercise of their statutory functions. Boards of management need the Department to reinstate funding to primary schools to previous levels to enable them to carry out their statutory functions and ensure the best educational outcome for the pupils attending such schools.
An announcement of an increase to the pupil-teacher ratio was made as part of the 2012 budget. This increase is having a negative impact on school communities-----