Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. We can all agree that we want to see our schools fully funded and supported. I welcome the Department of Education’s intervention to advance funding to Sacred Heart Junior National School. My understanding is there has been quite a lot of engagement between the school and the Department going back a number of months. The Deputy is right, however, that this highlights the need to get to a point where we can increase capitation grants to provide that certainty. While I will ask the Minister for Education, Deputy McEntee, to come back to the Deputy on the specifics on some of those questions he asked, I am pleased that Sacred Heart Junior National School has made that progress. I know it wants to move to more certainty than just a bit of advanced funding.

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