Written answers

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Department of Education and Science

School Fees

9:00 pm

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 554: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will reverse the cuts to Protestant schools implemented in budget 2009; if his attention has been drawn to the space given to the Protestant community when the secondary school fees scheme was introduced in 1967 and the special position these schools occupy for members of the small and dispersed Protestant community here; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that Protestant boarding schools play a vital role in ensuring that students from less advantaged backgrounds can avail of an education which reflects their ethos and that the cutbacks to these schools is discriminatory against a minority community as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37245/09]

Photo of John DeasyJohn Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 576: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will review the budget 2009 decision to remove the majority of Protestant secondary schools from the free education scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is necessary for such schools to provide boarding facilities to cater for the scattered nature of the Protestant population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36737/09]

Photo of Deirdre CluneDeirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 619: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the role he envisages for the Protestant voluntary secondary school in the education system here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37264/09]

Photo of Deirdre CluneDeirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 620: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that following the introduction of free post primary education in the 1960s, a commitment was given to ensure the viability of Protestant schools in the education system here; the steps he will take to honour this commitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37265/09]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 554, 576, 619 and 620 together.

I wish to reassure the Deputies 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.

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 Protestant schools and the background to the decision in the October budget to remove certain grants from fee-charging Protestant schools.

I have emphasised that no changes have been made 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. This fund ensures that necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice. I wish to advise the Deputies also that my officials have met representatives from the Secondary Education Committee to discuss future funding arrangements for Protestant schools.

In this context, I have 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 schools that they wish to attend, particularly those in rural areas.

The October budget implemented changes in how all fee-charging schools are treated in relation to the number of publicly funded teaching posts they are allocated. With effect from 1 January 2009, teachers in fee-charging schools are allocated at a pupil teacher ratio of 20:1, which is a point higher than allocations in non fee-charging post-primary schools. In view of the challenging economic circumstances that we are facing, I am not in a position to reverse this decision.

This decision is justified on the basis that schools which have access to fees as an income source are in a better position to maintain services at a time when the public finances are under such severe pressure. Fee-charging schools can continue to employ additional teachers that they fund from their fee income.

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.

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