Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding fee paying schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1209/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I have asked my officials to conduct an analysis of the potential extent and nature of the Exchequer investment, including funding for teacher posts, in the fee-charging schools.

The specific analysis to be conducted by my Department will involve looking at the level of the tuition fee income based on fee rates and pupil numbers. It will take account of Exchequer investment foregone (in teacher allocations and recurrent grants) because the school is charging fees. In this way the additional or discretionary income available to fee charging schools relative to other schools can be assessed. It will then involve some dialogue with schools to confirm the information and each fee charging school will have the opportunity to identify if there are certain individual factors which may limit their freedom to use this discretionary income – e.g. mortgages entered into for capital developments or other verifiable liabilities. This process will apply to all fee charging schools.