Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the average rate of capitation per primary and post-primary pupil over each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9242/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The average rates of capitation per primary and post primary pupil over the past ten years are as follows:

Primary - €180

Post primary - €316

Funding for post-primary schools in the ETB and Community and Comprehensive sectors operate on a budget basis.

Schools are notified about capitation rates through circulars issued by my Department. The most recent circulars (Circular 0028/2016 for primary schools and Circular 0029/2016 for voluntary secondary schools) issued in April 2016 and are available on my Department’s website.

The Action Plan for Education outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented over the 3 year period 2016 to 2019. One of these actions relates to restoring capitation funding over a three-year period as resources permit.

Budget 2017 represents the start of a major programme of reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade.