Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 191: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which funding available to, or provided by his Department directly is likely to meet requirements at primary or second level on a county basis throughout the country in the current year; the extent to which this meets the requirements as set out by school authorities in total; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18601/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to assure the Deputy that I am committed to ensuring that schools have adequate funding to cover their running costs.

The Deputy will be aware that the Renewed Programme for Government contains commitments to maintain capitation grants at current levels within the deflationary economic environment.

At primary level, schools currently receive, in ancillary and capitation grants, at least €355 per student. Enhanced rates are payable for students who are members of the Travelling community or who have special educational needs. At post-primary level, the combined capitation and school services support fund grants are €557 per student.

Budget 2010 also provides for an extra allocation available to primary and second level schools to allow schools to provide grant assistance for books, and for further allocations at second level to fund various programme grants.