Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she is seriously committed to reducing the disparity in funding provided by her Department between voluntary secondary schools and community and comprehensive schools; the main mechanism to be used to ensure this reduction; if there is evidence of progress in this regard; if governance is an issue in this context; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16710/06]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if assistance will be given to second level schools (details supplied) in particular with the capitation grants and the huge shortfalls, the high cost of school insurance, more provision and services for special needs education, the disparity between private and state secondary schools and the widening gaps that are being created by this disparity; and if these issues will be made a priority. [16726/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 216 together.

The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level schools reflect the sectoral division of our second level system. At the core of all arrangements is a reliance upon capitation as the principle determinant of funding. There are however significant differences in the approaches to insurance cover and the funding of services such as for secretarial and caretaking services. In my view it is important to consider these issues in the wider context of the equalisation of funding arrangements across the second level system.

There have been significant improvements in the level of funding for voluntary secondary schools in recent years. In addition to the increases in the standard per capita grant that now stands at €298 per pupil from January last, voluntary secondary schools have benefited additionally by the introduction of grants under the School Services Support initiative. The standard support services grant that was increased to €107 from January 2006, has been enhanced by a further €10 per pupil since January 2006 in the case of voluntary secondary schools bringing the overall grant in the case of such schools to €159 per pupil. This increased grant of €52 per pupil is paid in addition to the range of equalisation grants of up to €15,554 (€44.44 per pupil) per annum that have also been approved for voluntary secondary schools.

There has also been enormous progress in relation to increasing the number of teachers in our schools who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special education needs. At second level, approximately 1,654 whole time equivalent additional teachers are in place to support pupils with special educational needs. This compares to the approximately 200 teachers who were in place in 1998 for such pupils. In addition, there are 532 whole time equivalent learning support teachers and approximately 1,102 whole time equivalent special needs assistants in our second level schools.

These significant increases in the funding of secondary schools is a clear demonstration of my commitment to prioritise available resources to address the needs of schools.