Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing capitation for primary schools to 2011 rates per pupil. [34698/19]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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248. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing capitation for primary schools by €20 per pupil. [34700/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 246 and 248 together.

I fully recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools.

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.  The first and full year costs of this increase is €4 million and €10 million respectively.

In addition to the 5% increase above the estimated cost of restoring capitation to pre-2011 levels in primary schools is circa €12.2 million.  The estimated full year cost of increasing the capitation grant by €20 to schools at primary level is €11.7 million.

I must be prudent in the context of ongoing budgetary pressures.  Where it is not possible to do everything that I would like to do in the education sector in any one year I have to prioritise, especially in the context of increasing enrolments.

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