Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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194. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated first full-year cost of increasing the capitation paid to DEIS schools by 50%, by primary and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30336/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The estimated full year cost of increasing the capitation grant by 50% to DEIS schools at primary and post-primary level is €22.9 million.

I am pleased to have been able to provide for a 5% increase in capitation funding for primary and post primary schools that will apply from the start of the 2019/20 school year. Over the course of the school year 2019/20, an additional €10 million will be allocated to primary and post primary schools, of which €4 million will be allocated in 2019.

I fully recognise the need to further improve capitation funding for schools. However, I must be prudent in the context of ongoing budgetary pressures and I have to prioritise where it is not possible to do everything that I would like to do in the Education Sector in any one year especially in the light of increasing enrolments.

It is my intention to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets.