James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 756: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will grant aid schools who might have difficulty paying new water charges, as according to EU policy the Government could pay these charges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11717/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The cost pressures on schools are taken into account by my Department in determining the levels of annual increases in the capitation grants paid to schools to meet their day to day running costs. Primary schools are now getting €178 per pupil to meet their day to day running costs — an increase of nearly 70% on the 2002 rate of €105 and €15 more per child than they got last year. Post-primary schools have also received this increase and now receive €331 per pupil. As the Deputy will be aware, we are committed to doubling the capitation grant for primary schools over the next five years.

In the context of reducing water costs for schools, it has been demonstrated that fitting simple water saving devices to toilets and sinks can reduce water consumption considerably at very little cost, as can other small works such as fixing easily identifiable leaks. Primary school authorities may use their annual minor works grant to fund such measures. The value of the minor works grant has increased by nearly 50% over the past two years and €27 million in such grants issued to primary schools earlier this year.

Second level schools benefit from more generous capitation funding and can use this for small works. My Department will consider applications for necessary large projects under the school building programme. Excellent materials and guidance in relation to water conservation by schools have been produced by Dublin City Council and are available to all schools on the internet.

My Department is in close liaison with the Department of Environment and Local Government regarding water conservation and is supportive of any measures by it that will help reduce water costs for schools.

For the transition period the Government agreed that non-fee paying recognised schools will pay a flat rate per pupil fee as follows:- 2007- €3 per pupil, 2008 — €3.50 per pupil and 2009- €4 per pupil enrolled. For 2007, charges applied based on metering will be recalculated on the transitional flat rate with a credit given for any excess payment.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will advise local authorities of the detailed arrangements which will be put in place to implement this decision.

These new arrangements afford schools the opportunity to put in place the necessary water conservation arrangements and practices and undertake necessary works to ensure that when full water charges are introduced in two years time schools will have significantly reduced their water usage and, by virtue of good water conservation, be in a much stronger position to meet their water charges. Those schools with very high water consumption will be identified and contacted with a view to introducing measures to help them reduce water usage.

An information package is currently being prepared for schools on the most appropriate measures to minimise excess consumption of water and to reduce wastage where it exists. As part of this exercise, technical guidance and specifications for the most common problems that are likely to arise in this area will be provided. In addition, water conservation issues will continue to be addressed by my Department as a matter of routine where new schools are being built or where major renovations are being carried out to existing schools under the schools modernisation programme.