Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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517. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding fee-paying schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40021/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The previous Minister published a report titled "Fee Charging Schools Analysis of Fee Income" on the 5th March 2013 into the discretionary income available to the fee charging schools.

The report is an analysis of the funding position of the schools which charge fees. It shows the funds available to these schools through charging fees, which are not available to secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme.

Information was sought from the 55 schools and was accepted by the Department as submitted. It was not subject to audit or verification. Participation was voluntary for the schools concerned and it was a matter for each school to decide what information the school would share with the Department in relation to how it utilises fee income.

The report estimated that €23.55 million represents the recurrent cost to the exchequer if all 55 fee charging schools were admitted to the Free Scheme in the 2011/12 school year. The Department has set out fully in the report the basis and methodology used to arrive at this estimate.

There are at present 52 fee charging post primary schools in the state.