Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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128. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he plans to restore the minor works grant in the forthcoming budget in view of the costs of routine repairs schools must carry out and the pressure the abolition of that grant has placed on school finances; if he will explain the reason the capitation grant for special needs classes in mainstream schools is paid in June every year, that is, at the end of the school year; and if he will bring forward this payment to help school budgets. [32788/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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When the Minor Works Grant last issued in November 2011 for the school year 2011/2012, I stated that given the need to focus on meeting the demand for additional school places, it was unlikely that funding would be available for the Minor Works Grant in the coming years. This is borne out by the fact that in 2012, 85% of the capital expenditure in the school sector was in respect of large scale projects, additional accommodation and prefab replacement. The balance was expended on site acquisition, emergency works, furniture and equipment provision and commitments arising from earlier years. The capital allocation that is available for the school sector in 2013 is expected to have a similar spend pattern as was the case in 2012 and at this time there are no plans to reinstate the Minor Works Grant.

All recognised national schools running costs are met by my Department's schemes of capitation and ancillary service grants. Schools receive capitation funding in January and June of each year. Enhanced rates of capitation funding are paid to schools in respect of pupils with special educational needs who attend special schools or special classes attached to mainstream schools. The first moiety, paid in January of each year, of 70% is calculated using the enrolment figures from the previous school year. However, when the second moiety is being paid in June the current year enrolment figure is taken into account and the first moiety is reconciled at that stage. The ancillary services grant is paid to Schools in March of each year.