Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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1343. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to increase the current school funding for primary schools from 92 cent per pupil up to the secondary school level rate of €1.77 per student, due to increasing running costs for insurance, electrical, and so on and the financial demands and burdens it places on boards of management and parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32146/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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It is extremely difficult to make precise comparisons between the levels of grants paid and the actual costs of running schools at primary and post primary levels. However it is self evident that the maintenance and running costs for second level schools are much greater on a unit cost basis than those in primary schools.

In general, second level schools are larger than primary schools and have a lower pupil teacher ratio resulting in more classrooms and specialist rooms such as laboratories, workshops and kitchens. This leads to higher unit costs in second level schools for heat, light, power, maintenance and cleaning.

I do recognise however the need to improve capitation funding for primary schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years. In the last Budget, I was able to secure the first increase in education spending in recent years. I am determined to continue pressing the case for increased investment in education in the forthcoming budget.