Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties that some primary schools (details supplied) in County Cork are faced with in meeting the costs of refuse collection charges; and if additional funding can be allocated to those schools. [17871/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The position regarding refuse collection charges for schools is that 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 whether 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 fall to be met from the capitation funding which schools have received from my Department.

The primary school 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 €163.58 with effect from 1st January, 2007. This represents an increase of over 186% in the standard rate of capitation grant since 1997.

Enhanced rates of capitation funding are paid in respect of children with special educational needs who attend special schools or special classes attached to mainstream schools. The current rates range from €418 to €805 per pupil. These were increased by an average of 30% recently. The capitation 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 was increased from €102 per pupil in 2002 to the current rate of €145.50 per pupil.

Under the new Programme for Government, we are committed to doubling the standard capitation grant for primary schools over the next five years. Grants to schools for the employment of secretaries and caretakers will also be increased significantly.