Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this Topical Issue matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. I thank Deputy Charles Flanagan for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position on the issues raised.

The Government has protected front-line services in schools to the greatest extent possible in the recent budget and there will no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second level schools for the 2013-14 school year as a result of the budget. The DEIS scheme for disadvantaged schools is also fully protected, with no overall changes to staffing levels or funding as a result of the budget.

How best to sustain education provision for widely dispersed and small local communities presents a particular challenge, especially in any locality where enrolment is declining to single figures. The Government is intent on fostering pluralism in school provision. Supporting small communities, including minorities, in maintaining their schools is part of that policy.

The value for money review of small primary school provision is at an advanced stage of preparation. The Department expects to publish the review, at which stage its findings can be debated.

At post-primary level and in order to promote fairness in funding second level schools, a two point increase in the pupil-teacher ratio in fee-charging second level schools will be introduced in September 2013. There are 55 schools, out of 723 post-primary schools, charging fees, ranging from €2,550 to €10,065 for day pupils. The State pays the salary of one teacher for every 21 pupils in these schools, compared with the salary of one teacher for every 19 pupils in schools in the free education scheme. A ratio of 18.25 pupils to one teacher applies in DEIS schools. The pupil-teacher ratio will rise to 23:1 in fee-charging schools from September 2013. However, these schools have the resources, through fees charged, to employ teachers privately, an option not available to schools in the free education scheme. A report on the analysis of the tuition income of fee-charging schools, carried out by the Department of Education and Skills and published on Tuesday, 5 March, shows that fee-charging schools have considerable discretionary income and are best placed to manage with reduced public funding.

There are some concerns within the Church of Ireland community about the recent budget measure affecting fee-charging schools. The Government recognises the importance of ensuring students from a Protestant or Reformed Church background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos, while, at the same time, ensuring funding arrangements are in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. The Minister has welcomed the recent announcement by Kilkenny College that it is entering the free secondary school scheme and will cease to charge fees from September next. It is a welcome development that the school considers that its future can best be secured through the free scheme and that it can continue to deliver a Church of Ireland school ethos for families in the south-east in this way.

In regard to capitation, the Department provides capitation funding for all recognised primary schools and second level schools within the free education scheme. There has been some reduction in the level of capitation funding in recent years owing to the need to operate within our tight budgetary requirements.

With regard to the fee-charging Protestant schools, there is an arrangement whereby funding is provided by my Department for the Secondary Education Committee, SEC, an organisation run by the churches involved in managing the Protestant secondary schools. The SEC disburses funds to the Protestant fee-charging schools on behalf of pupils who would otherwise have difficulty in meeting the cost of fees and who, in the absence of such financial support, would be unable to attend a second level school of a Reformed Church or Protestant ethos. Funding amounts to €6.5 million annually and this fund ensures necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice.

Regarding school transport provision, a number of changes have been implemented in the primary and post-primary school transport scheme. These changes are being applied equitably on a national basis.

I confirm that the Minister and his relevant departmental officials will continue to engage with the relevant education sector stakeholders, including the Church of Ireland and boards of education, on education provision for all areas.

See this speech in context