Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of pupils attending fee-paying private schools for the school years 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37699/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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A distinction is made between those private fee paying schools which are financially aided by the Department (in the form of payment of teacher's salaries) and those that receive no financial assistance from the Department.

The numbers of pupils attending fee paying Department-aided second level schools, for 2009/10 and 2010/11 are as follows: 2009/10 = 26,277 2010/11 = 26,219

It should be noted that data coverage of private, fee-paying first and second level schools that are not financially aided by the Department is not complete, as there is no requirement for such schools to make detailed statistical returns to the Department. Therefore data for fee-paying non-Department aided schools should be read and interpreted with caution, particularly when comparing data for different academic years.

Department figures for the number of children attending private fee paying schools which are not aided by the Department in 2009/10 and 2010/11 are as follows: Private first level 2009/10 = 4,462 2010/11 = 5,200 Private second level 2009/10 = 2,571 2010/11 = 2,451 Data for 2011/12 school year are not yet available.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to the State on an annual basis for a student who transfers from a fee-paying private second-level school to a State-funded school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37700/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Since the salaries of teachers are paid in both fee-charging schools and schools in the Free Education scheme, the cost is marginal in relation to an individual student transferring from a fee-charging to a State funded school. It represents the difference between the average cost of a teaching post allocated at a ratio of 19: 1 as against the average cost at a ratio of 20:1, which is estimated at €168.42 per pupil per annum.

Grants are not paid by my Department in respect of pupils enrolled in fee-charging schools. A student enrolled in a school in the Free Education scheme would attract per capita grants totalling €661 per annum. The cost therefore in respect of an individual pupil transfer raised by Deputy is estimated at €829.42 per annum.