Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action she will take to assist schools with the escalating cost of insurance; if her Department will consider a centralised system of insurance for schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40173/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for arranging insurance cover, including the specific requirements of insurance cover for school property and against public liability is a matter for the managerial authorities of primary and post-primary schools and would fall to be met from the capitation funding which schools receive from my Department.

My Department provides funding to 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.

There have been significant improvements in the level of funding provided to primary and post-primary schools. Since 1997 the standard rate of capitation grant at primary level was increased from €57.14 per pupil to €145.58 with effect from 1st January, 2006. From 1st January next the standard per capita grant will be increased by a further €18 per pupil bringing the overall capitation grant per pupil at primary level to €163.58. This will represent an increase of 186% in the standard rate of capitation grant since 1997.

In addition, the already enhanced rates of capitation grant payable in respect of certain categories of special needs pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes in ordinary national schools are being substantially increased with effect from 1st January 2007. There have been significant improvements in recent years in the level of funding for voluntary secondary schools also. In addition to the €12 per pupil increase in 2006 in the standard per capita grant that now stands at €298 per pupil, voluntary secondary schools have benefited additionally by the increase of €14 per pupil in 2006 in the support services grant bringing the overall grant to €159 per pupil.

In addition to the increases in the standard per capita grant rates outlined above, the per capita grant at post-primary level will also be increased by €18 per pupil bringing the overall capitation grant for post-primary pupils to €316. The support services grant will also be increased by a further €30 for voluntary secondary schools, which includes a further equalisation measure, to €189 per pupil. For such schools this cumulative increase of €48 per pupil will bring the aggregate grant to over €500 per pupil from 1 January next. These grants are in addition to the per capita funding of up to €40,000 per school that is also provided by my Department to secondary schools towards secretarial and caretaking services.

For a secondary school with 500 pupils, this will bring annual grants towards general expenses and support service to over €290,000. Schools are afforded considerable flexibility in the use of resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. These significant increases in the funding of primary and post primary schools are a clear demonstration of my commitment to prioritise available resources to address the needs of schools.