Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 521: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the cost of insurance in primary schools; her proposals to ease the considerable burden on annual board of management budgets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8978/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Funding is provided to primary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. This is, in my view, a preferable approach to putting in place grants for specific cost items such as insurance.

There have been significant improvements in the level of funding provided to primary schools. Since 1997, the standard rate of capitation grant at primary level has been increased from €57.14 per pupil to €133.58 with effect from 1 January 2005 and has recently been further increased by €12 per pupil with effect from 1 January 2006, bringing the standard rate to €145.58. This represents an increase of almost 155% in the standard rate of capitation grant at primary level since 1997. These significant increases in the funding of primary schools are a clear demonstration of my commitment to prioritise available resources to address the needs of schools.