Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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137. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the budget allowance to schools will be increased in view of testimonials which state that parents are having to fund basic essentials such as insurance, electricity and oil. [42897/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I recognise the need to improve capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years.

The Action Plan for Education outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented over the 3 year period 2016 to 2019 which include restoring capitation funding as resources permit.

The process is underway for restoring grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff.  The ancillary grant was increased by €6 in 2016 and €5 in 2017 in order to enable primary schools implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.  A similar type approach in relation to improvements in grant funding was applied, as appropriate, at post-primary level. 

Capitation funding remains a priority for me to address during the lifetime of the Action Plan as resources permit.