Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 473: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will liaise with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to ensure that schools faced with waste water discharge licence levies will be exempted from this levy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19326/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Primary schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. These grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs of national schools. The capitation grant has been increased substantially in recent years. Since 1997 the standard rate of capitation grant has been increased from €57.14 per pupil to €133.58 with effect from 1st January, 2005 and has been further increased by €12 per pupil with effect from 1st January, 2006 bringing the standard rate to €145.58. This represents an increase of almost 155% in the standard rate of capitation grant since 1997.

Local Authority service and other charges payable to the various Local Authorities do not come within the remit of my Department. It would be a matter for the Local Authorities to decide the way in which schools pay such charges. Where it is decided that schools are liable for such charges, the cost would form part of the normal running costs of schools and would fall to be met from the capitation funding which schools have received from my Department.