Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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383. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full year cost of abolishing voluntary contributions in primary and post-primary schools and replacing them with a grant equivalent. [44942/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the need for improved capitation funding and I am pleased that budget 2020 has been able to provide for a further 2.5% increase in standard capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools that applied from the start of the 2020/21 school year. This builds on the 5% increase in capitation announced in budget 2019.

The combined increases given in 2019 and 2020 mean that circa 40% restoration has been achieved.

All schools have received the benefit of the capitation increases awarded to date. It is my intention to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets.

There is no information available to my Department that may be used to assess the full year cost of funding schools in order to allow them to abolish the voluntary contribution. It should be noted that schools individually determine voluntary contributions and that it is not permissible for schools to require families to make such contributions.

However, in addition to the increases above the estimated cost of increasing the standard capitation for all schools by 1%, 5% and 10% is set out in the table below.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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384. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding funding for primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45015/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can assure the Deputy that this Government is fully committed to supporting the primary school sector.

In the context of Budget 2022 we will continue to aim to deliver on the commitments set out in the Programme for Government, to meet demographic and other pressures in the school sector and to support and sustain our schools, their staff and our students in the face of the ongoing significant challenges posed by COVID-19. This commitment applies equally to primary schools and post primary schools.

Over recent budgets, additional resources have been made available to our schools, including through the delivery of thousands of extra teaching and Special Needs Assistant posts, increased capitation in schools, enhanced supports for school leadership and an improved staffing schedule in primary schools. This is in addition to the significant COVID-19 financial resources provided to allow schools to operate in accordance with the latest public health guidance.

Specifically in regard to primary schools and as part of continuing measures to sustain and strengthen primary schools and in accordance with a commitment in the Programme for Government to make further progress in reducing pupil teacher ratios, Budget 2021, provided for changes in the primary school staffing schedule from September 2021, which have had the effect of allowing primary schools to reduce the general average class size to historically low levels.