Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 506: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that pre-school and Montessori schools are being charged water rates; if her further attention has been drawn to the financial burden that this is placing on these educational facilities, particularly those based in rural Ireland; and her views on recommending a waiver or substantial reduction in view of the educational value of these facilities. [16647/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the vast majority of support for childcare, including pre-school education, is not provided by my Department, but is now provided by the Office of the Minister for Children under the National Childcare Investment Programme which is the successor programme to the 2000-2006 Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme.

My Department's main role in the area of early years education encompasses targeted pre-school provision for children from disadvantaged areas, for traveller children and for those with special needs.

The targeted pre-school provision is the Early Start programme. It operates in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Drogheda and Dundalk. The Early Start programme is usually held in a Primary school setting.

The running costs of Primary Schools are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. These grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs which would include utility charges such as heating and lighting and any other charges that the school incurs. The Early Start programme attracts a capitation grant of € 95.23 per pupil per annum.

Local Authority service and other charges payable to the various Local Authorities do not come within the remit of my Department. It is a matter for the Local Authorities to decide whether schools or pre-schools are liable to 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 be met from the capitation funding provided by my Department.