Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the significant discrepancy in the funding for the voluntary secondary schools compared to other schools in the post-primary system having regard to the fact that almost 60% of all second level students attend the 400 voluntary secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33425/07]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps she has taken to ensure that equal funding for all schools in the post-primary sector would be achieved within the next two budgets of 2008 and 2009 in line with the commitment given in the programme for Government 2007 to 2012; the amount, based on the present numbers of pupils in the post-primary system, of additional funds that will be required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33424/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 106 together.

My Department provides funding to secondary schools by way of per capita grants, which afford schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. There have been significant improvements in recent years in the level of funding for voluntary secondary schools, and I am pleased to advise the Deputy that increases will continue to be applied in 2008. As I announced last week, with effect from 1 January 2008, the standard per capita grant will increase by €15 to €331 per pupil. In addition, voluntary secondary schools will benefit by an increase of €15 per pupil from 1 January 2008 in the support services grant, bringing that grant to €204. This increase is inclusive of a €10 increase in equalisation funding for voluntary secondary schools.

The total increase of €30 per pupil in a voluntary secondary school will bring the aggregate grant to €535 per pupil. The Deputy should be aware that 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. Accordingly, in the case of a secondary school with 500 pupils, the annual grants towards general expenses and support service will be more than €300,000 in 2008. This represents an increase of 92% approximately since 2000. These significant increases in the funding of voluntary secondary schools are a clear demonstration of my commitment to prioritise available resources to address the needs of schools. It is estimated that an additional €14.64m is required to complete the process of equalisation of funding at second level.