Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1697: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to cap the charge that schools place on students for leaving and junior certificate mock exams, in view of the fact that these are compulsory in many schools and regarded as part of the school curriculum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2450/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The position regarding the alleviation of entry fees for the State examinations is that students who are covered by the means-tested general medical services card scheme, either directly or as the dependants of medical card holders, are not liable to pay fees. Mock examinations are not part of the State examinations system, and therefore my Department has no function in respect of the fees that are charged for these examinations.

As regards the overall resources available to schools, there have been significant improvements in recent years in the level of funding for voluntary secondary schools. I wish to draw the attention of the Deputy to my announcement of further significant increases in the context of the 2007 estimates. From 1 January 2007 the standard per capita grant was increased by a further €18 to €316 per pupil. In addition, the support services grant was 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 brings the aggregate grant to over €500 per pupil from 1 January. 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 example in the case of a secondary school with 500 pupils, this brings the annual grants towards general expenses and support service to over €290,000.