Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline in tabular form the rate of capitation grant paid in 2012 and each year since 1997. [45569/12]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount spent on the capitation grant in 2012 and each year since 1997. [45570/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together.
My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised primary schools and post primary schools within the free education scheme.
My Department provide funding to primary schools by way of per capita grants, subject to a minimum grant equivalent to 60 pupils and a maximum grant equivalent to 500 pupils.
The funding arrangements made by my Department for post primary schools reflect the sectoral division of our second-level system. At the core of all arrangements is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding.
My Department provides funding to Community and Comprehensive schools on a budget basis that is based mainly on pupil numbers, but also take into account additional factors which vary from school to school such as age of buildings, size of school etc.
With regard to the VEC sector financial allocations are made to VECs as part of a block grant. VECs are given a high level of autonomy in the management and appropriation of this grant and each is allowed to distribute its allocations in line with its priorities and perceptions of need.
My Department provides funding to voluntary secondary schools by way of per capita grants.
Fee charging schools do not receive any capitation or related grants from my Department.
Information going back to 1997, as requested by the Deputy, is not readily available. The capitation rates and total expenditure in recent years is outlined in the attached document.

Post Primary Capitation and SSSF rates 2003-2012

Primary Capitation and Ancillary rates 2003-2012

Primary and Post Primary Capitation Expenditure 2006-2012

*Figures include enhanced capitation grants for special needs pupils, programme grants and book grants since 2010.