Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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587. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of voluntary secondary schools that will benefit from capitation funding increases in budget 2022; the current capitation level per student in these schools; and the capitation level per student in these schools once the measures in budget 2022 are implemented. [51061/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The funding arrangements for post primary schools reflect the sectoral division of the second-level system.  Funding provided to schools in the ETB, Community & Comprehensive sectors is primarily based on budgets determined by my Department. Voluntary Secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme are funded by way of per capita grants.

At the core of these arrangements is reliance upon capitation as a key determinant of funding and enrolments are the main driver in the level of funding provided. 

The capitation rates payable to Post-Primary schools in the Free Education scheme remain unchanged as the additional funding I secured in Budget 2022 is to rectify historical inconsistencies in the funding arrangements for Voluntary Secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme.

Some equalisation measures have already been introduced to address these inconsistencies. It is estimated that up to €21m has been provided in equalisation funding in the period up to 2009.

Furthermore, as agreed with the Joint Managerial Body (JMB),  future improvements in equalisation funding is to be directed in the first instance at the elimination of the School Salary grant deduction from the capitation payable to Voluntary Secondary Schools.  Therefore, Budget 2020 provided additional funding to cater for a 20% reduction in the School Salary Grant deduction from 1 September 2020. This brought the deduction down from €563 to €450.40 per whole-time equivalent teaching post.

I am delighted to have secured further funding in Budget 2022 to complete the elimination of this deduction. This means that all of the Voluntary Secondary Schools in the Free Education Scheme will see capitation funding increase resulting in an estimated additional €1.4 million being made available to these schools in 2022 and €5.6 million in 2023.