Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 26: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will reverse the abolition of grants which were paid to Protestant secondary schools out of recognition that they represent a minority community and should be afforded special consideration; his views on the comments made by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19249/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I wish to reassure the Deputy that I, along with my colleagues in Government, recognise the importance of ensuring that students from a Protestant background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos.

The Deputy will be aware that I have met with representatives of both the Church of Ireland Board of Education and the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland to discuss the funding position of the schools referred to by the Deputy.

I briefed the representatives on funding arrangements for Protestant schools and the background to the decision in the October budget to remove certain grants from fee-paying Protestant schools.

I outlined the background to the block grant, which is expected to be €6.5 million in this school year. It covers capitation, tuition and boarding costs and is distributed through the Secondary Education Committee established by the churches concerned. Applications for assistance are made by parents to the Secondary Education Committee which, on the basis of a means test, distributes the funds to individual schools on the basis of pupil needs. This fund ensures that necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice. I confirmed that there were no changes to this grant and that I would be willing to consider increasing it when the public finances permit.

At my meeting with representatives of the Church of Ireland Board of Education, led by Archbishop John Neill, I expressed my willingness to consider any proposals that might be made to my Department that would enable the available funding to be focused and adjusted to more effectively meet the twin objectives of access for individuals and sustaining the dispersed schools that they wish to attend. The Bishops are to respond on how the funding I am continuing to make available might best be deployed to meet the needs of their schools.

In this context, I wish to advise the Deputy also that my officials recently met representatives from the Secondary Education Committee to discuss future funding arrangements for Protestant schools.

I will continue to work with representatives of the Protestant educational sector to ensure that State funding made available to the Protestant community is targeted in the fairest way possible to meet the needs of their children and their schools.