Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department will provide financial aid to the schools in Adamstown that are facing bankruptcy in view of a recent report (details supplied). [33445/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 744: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the start up grants that have been provided to each school in an area (details supplied) in County Dublin; if she will provide extra funding for these schools in view of significant additional costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34190/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 744 together.

The schools referred to by the Deputy are recognised primary schools and attract funding in the same way as all recognised primary schools. The Deputy will be aware that schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. and capitation grants have been increased substantially in recent years. I announced further improvements in grant rates last week in the context of the Budget. The primary capitation grant will increase by €15 to more than €178 per pupil. The ancillary services grant for primary schools will also be improved by €6 to €151.50 per pupil.

Taken together, these increases mean that primary schools eligible for the full ancillary services grant will get €330 per pupil — or €21 extra — next year to cover their day to day running costs, with a primary school of 300 pupils getting €6,300 more. In fact, this 300 pupil school will get almost €100,000 from my Department next year to meet day to day running costs. The Deputy will be pleased to know that following the recent budget announcements, overall education expenditure has increased from circa €1.9 billion in 2002 to €9.3 billion next year, an increase of 8% on the funding position after Budget 2007. This will enable my Department to consolidate the major service improvements that have been put in place in recent years and to make further progress in a wide range of areas.

Extra investment of more than €690 million in education next year will enable me to put about 1,200 extra teachers in place, to deliver improvements in school buildings and to increase day-to-day funding for schools. The funding arrangements for newly established primary schools currently include a start up grant of €6,348.69. I intend reviewing this grant following consideration of the additional funding allocated to the primary sector in Budget 2008.