Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding funding of secondary schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5733/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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My Department provides funding to secondary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. My Department provided capitation funding in the sum of €186,477.25 to the school in question in respect of recognised enrolments for the school year 2009/10. Capitation funding for schools was reduced by 5% as part of the most recent budget.

The current financial situation and Ireland's reliance on external funding through the EU/IMF Support Programme means inevitably that the funding situation for schools will be extremely difficult in the period ahead. I would be misleading the Deputy if I pretended otherwise. The Government will do its best to prioritise education spending and protect front line services but the reality is that my Department will have to bear its share of the Government's overall effort to cut public spending in order to deal with our fiscal crisis.

It is a fundamental principle of the Free Post-Primary Education Scheme that schools participating in the scheme do not charge parents in respect of: instruction in any subject of my Department's programme for Secondary Schools; recreation or study facilities where all the pupils are expected to avail themselves of these as part of the school programme; any other activities in which all pupils are required to take part. Voluntary contributions by parents or charges for optional extras over and above what is provided for in the general school programme are permissible under the scheme, provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay, and, that in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition.