Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to restore the schools capitation grant to 2010 levels; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42111/18]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom gach rath a ghuí ar an Aire ina ról nua. I wish the Minister well in his new role and thank him for engaging so positively with the joint committee earlier on the important topic of mental health promotion in our schools. This question relates to the capitation grant, which was increased by 5% in the recent budget. The primary and secondary school capitation grant is still well below the 2010 level. Does the Minister intend to restore the grant fully in line with the commitment in the 2016-19 action plan for education? If so, what is the timeline for that?

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware of the many pressing demands in education which my predecessor and his predecessors, including Ruairí Quinn, have had to consider in recent years. Important changes have been made. Provision for children with special educational needs has been resourced and reformed, junior cycle reform has been rolled out, school leadership has been strengthened, primary class sizes have been reduced, guidance teachers have been restored, provision has been made for extra students at all levels and provision has been made for new skills needs in apprenticeships, traineeships and higher education. I fully recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools. I was pleased that my predecessor, Deputy Bruton, was able to provide for a 5% increase in capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools. This will apply from the start of the 2019-20 school year. I must be prudent in the context of ongoing budgetary pressures. As it is not possible to do everything I would like to do in the education sector in one year, especially in the light of increasing enrolments, I have to prioritise. To answer the Deputy's question in as black-and-white a manner as possible, I intend to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that the previous Minister, Deputy Bruton, had to consider which of the many issues he faced he should prioritise. Schools have been pleading for capitation increases for many years. The increase in the recent budget was something, but it was very small. Capitation grant funding is still well below where it was in 2010. It is hardly surprising that the INTO has described it as a "pittance", given that it equates to just 4.6 cent per student per day. As the ASTI has stated, the increase will merely keep up with growing student numbers. It is simply not adequate for the real costs of running schools in Ireland today. Principals are under huge financial stress as they seek to make the money stretch. School costs in my constituency of Dublin Rathdown can be higher, but principals have the same amount of money per student to work with as principals in every other part of the country. Schools are buckling under this weight. We spoke at the joint committee about relieving the stress that is being experienced by teachers and principals. The stress in this area could be relieved by means of proper restoration of the capitation grant. According to the action plan, this was supposed to begin in 2017 and was to happen over three years. However, it now appears that the first sign of an increase will be in 2019. What is the clear timeline on which principals, parents and teachers can rely?

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I know from my travels around my constituency in recent years that the capitation grant always comes up when I speak with principals of primary and secondary schools. The grant is a lifeline for many schools as they seek to meet their running costs. There was a massive reduction of 11% in 2009. We have increased it by 5% this year. Annual funding would need to increase further by approximately €25.5 million if grants are to be restored to pre-2011 levels. I will not give the Deputy a false picture of how we can get there in a specific period. However, I can give her a commitment that we will have conversations on this matter when we look at our 2019 programme. I have no doubt that it will be discussed at the joint committee. I want the committee to feed into the three-year strategic plan so that we can ascertain how to get there as quickly as possible.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister's commitment. Along with my colleagues on the joint committee, I will hold him to it because actions speak louder than words. The committee held a specific summer school on school costs in September. The impacts of diminished capitation grants are twofold.

First, principals are continually stretched beyond the beyond in order to make the most of the money they receive. This is complicated by the minor works grant being announced later each year. It appears that there will be no grant for 2018 and that it will instead come in 2019. That is a major stress on schools when they are trying to work out where everything goes. Second, the pressure placed on parents to cover the gap through voluntary contributions was emphasised at the summer school. We are burdening parents not just with the increasing costs of sending their children to school, with uniforms, books, etc., but also with trying to keep the schools afloat. That is not acceptable. Parents receive an annual letter from schools seeking voluntary contributions, but these are far from voluntary.

I need to see action soon. What our principals need now are fewer of the circulars like those to which Deputy Boyd Barrett referred and more investment in schools.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Deputy Thomas Byrne wishes to ask a supplementary question on this matter.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I was disappointed with the budget allocation for capitation. It was something that my party leader prioritised and numbered among the range of issues in the negotiations. While the Minister was not involved, there seemed to be a major reaction against giving something significant in the capitation grant, perhaps because Fianna Fáil was seeking it. That was a dreadful way to approach not only children's needs but also the commitment in the programme for Government to ensure an increase in the capitation grant, in which respect nothing has been done. It was a major disappointment for schools that the grant was not increased. They will continue to struggle for money and come to the Minister seeking emergency works when proper works could have been done at the right time if the necessary money had been available.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This is an issue and it is one of a number of priorities I raised with my officials yesterday. I made the point that we have to find a pathway in the short-to-medium term to put extra revenue into capitation. I have committed to that. I look forward to working with the Deputies on establishing a consensus regarding how to reach to that point.

Having met a number of officials from my Department - I have not met them all because there are 1,300 in total working hard in Athlone, Tullamore and Dublin - I get a sense that they are heeding the importance of long-term planning for schools. Deputy Catherine Martin mentioned the minor works scheme. That money needs to be announced this side of Christmas, as does the funding for the summer works programme. We need to consider giving schools more lead-in time. They face enough pressures and have a great deal on their plate. There are principals who are teaching, performing administrative tasks and carrying heavy loads. The overall issue is something that I will be very conscious of in my role.