Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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864. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount spent on capitation grants for the year 2013-2014 split between primary and post primary schools; the total amount which will be spent on capitation grants, between primary and post primary schools, for the school year 2014-2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20267/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the free education scheme.

My Department provides funding to primary schools by way of per capitagrants, subject to a minimum grant equivalent to 60 pupils and a maximum grant equivalent to 500 pupils. In 2014, €188million was provided in per capita grant funding to primary schools, the provision for 2015 is €191million.

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 ETB sector financial allocations are made to ETBs as part of a block grant. ETBs 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. In 2014, €94 million wasprovided in per capita grant funding to voluntary secondary schools, the provision for 2015 is €96 million.

Fee charging schools do not receive any capitation or related grants from my Department.