Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the funding allocated for school capitation grants in 2005 and 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21443/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The 2005 estimates provision for capitation grants at primary level was €66.338 million in 2005. The provision for 2006 is €73.5 million.

The capitation grant at primary level 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 1 January, 2005 and has 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 since 1997.

This grant is in addition to the Ancillary Services Grant which provides additional funding for primary schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. The standard rate of grant per pupil under the scheme, which was increased from €102 in 2002 to €127 in 2004, was increased by a further €6 to €133 in 2005. The rate was increased by a further €6 this year bringing the current rate to €139. The estimates provision for the Ancillary Services Grant at primary level was €56.917 in 2005 and this has been increased to €61.639 million in 2006.

Significant improvements in the levels of direct funding to second level schools have been made in recent years. Since January 2005, the standard per capita grant has been increased by a cumulative €24 per pupil and now stands at €298 per pupil.

Secondary schools have also benefited under the school services support fund initiative. Introduced with effect from the 2000/01 school year, the school services support grant has been increased since January 2005 by a cumulative €28 per pupil bringing the annual grant from €131 per pupil to €159 per pupil. These grants are in addition to the funding of up to €40,000 per school that is also provided by my Department to secondary schools towards secretarial and caretaking services. These increases are reflected in the estimates provision for capitation at second level that was increased from €66.4 million in 2005 to €93 million in 2006.

The significant increase in the funding of schools at both Primary and second level over recent years is a clear demonstration of my commitment to prioritise available resources to address the needs of all schools.