Written answers

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

Department of Education and Skills

School Funding

Photo of Thomas ByrneThomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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167. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that voluntary secondary schools receive less funding per student per annum than the amount allocated to community schools and that allocated to Education and Training Board schools; if he can provide estimates for the difference in funding; and his views on whether there is a case for reintroducing the equalisation fund for voluntary secondary schools that ceased in 2009. [23207/16]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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It is existing policy to equalise the gap in funding between post-primary schools in the different sectors and progress was made in the years up to 2009 and the economic downturn.

The equalisation policy was implemented through incremental improvement in the funding of voluntary secondary schools compared to others, by year on year improvements in the Schools Services Support Fund (a per capita grant) and higher percentage increases were given to voluntary secondary schools.

The period of fiscal consolidation and cuts to capitation has interrupted progress on this policy objective. It is estimated that up to €21m has been provided in equalisation funding between 2001 and 2009.

I am committed, depending on resource availability, to making further progress on the equalisation policy of funding between post-primary schools and utilising capitation improvement as the mechanism.

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