Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding specialist grants which were abolished in budget 2009 in lieu of the capitation grant; the functions same had; the cost of these grants in the past three years; the amount of the funding used in these former grants that was redirected into increasing the capitation grant in budget 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38012/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions were outlined in the Budget day announcements and included the abolition of a number of specialist grants for primary and post-primary schools.

In the case of primary schools, the separate cookery grant, resource grant for language support teachers and equipment grant for resource teachers are being abolished. The total value of these grants was €2m.

In the case of post-primary schools, a number of separate grant payments to second-level schools are also being abolished. These are grants for Choirs and Orchestras, Home Economics, Physics and Chemistry, Junior Certificate Schools Programme, Leaving Certificate Applied, LCVP and Transition Year. These grants helped to support the provision of these subjects and programmes in the schools. The total saving will be €5.35m.

A further €6.3m is being saved at primary and post primary level by a reduction in capitation funding for Travellers and withdrawal of certain capitation funding from schools that are not in the DEIS programme but had continued to receive top-up funding originally provided under previous disadvantage initiatives.

I have provided in a table for the Deputy the amount these grants cost over the last 3 years.

We are committed to investing in education but we have to invest at a level that is consistent with what we can afford and what is sustainable at the moment given economic circumstances.

Overall some €20 million has been allocated to improving the capitation and ancillary funding for schools.

In relation to day to day funding for schools I prioritised the funding for primary schools in particular recognising the submissions made by the management bodies. The Education Budget for 2009 has provided for improvements to the overall level of day to day funding for primary schools which will see funding increase from €167 million in 2008 to almost €190 million in 2009.

While I appreciate that the abolition of a range of grants will make it a challenging year ahead most of the available funding was used to increase the standard rate of capitation grant at primary level to €200 per pupil. The increases in the enhanced rates for special needs pupils in special classes and special schools brings the top rate up to almost €1,000 per pupil.

I clearly will want to improve funding as soon as circumstances permit and I am anxious to make the capitation grant mechanism the single funding channel rather than have a plethora of grant schemes, thereby giving schools more flexibility and discretion on how to target funding to the school's own priorities based on its knowledge and understanding of the needs of the students it serves. There is the added advantage that administration and accounting can be reduced for schools and my Department.

The Budget measures will help ensure that Ireland is well positioned to benefit when the global economy improves and we can start to build again on the significant achievements of recent years and do so in a manner consistent with overall prudent management of the Irish economy.

Of the €35.6 million spent on these grants in 2008, there will be a saving of €27.4 million in 2009.