Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the year in which the additional capitation funding for children with special educational needs was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47637/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that enhanced rates of capitation funding are paid in respect of children with special educational needs who attend special schools or special classes attached to mainstream schools. The special rates vary, depending on the categorisation of the particular school or class. Rates of up to €879 per pupil are payable in comparison with the standard capitation rate of €178 per pupil. Additional capitation of €7.5m was provided for pupils in special schools and special classes attached to mainstream schools in 2011.

My Department's Circulars 40/2009 and 48/2009 clarify issues relating to the allocation of funding for schools. Schools have flexibility and discretion on how to target funding to the school's own priorities, based on its knowledge and understanding of the needs of the students it serves.

As the information requested by the Deputy relates to the introduction of the additional capitation funding many decades ago, it is not readily available and will involve retrieval and analysis of archived files, following which the information requested will be forwarded to the Deputy.