Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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196. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing primary and post-primary school capitation rates by €10 per child; the estimated overall cost of a 5% increase to capitation rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30338/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The estimated full year cost of increasing the capitation grant rate at primary and post-primary level by €10 per pupil is €9.4 million.

The first and full year costs of increasing the capitation grant at primary and secondary level by 5% is €4 million and €10 million respectively.

I am pleased to have been able to provide for this 5% increase in capitation funding for primary and post primary schools that will apply from the start of the 2019/20 school year.

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.