Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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370. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding is available from her Department to assist schools with the cost of school tours for pupils; if there are plans to establish a funding scheme to assist schools and parents with these costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52767/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Under Section 15 of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school.

Decisions in relation to educational tours by schools are a matter for each individual school. In accordance with the Department's circulars the objective of an educational tour should be to provide a significant benefit in the educational, intellectual, cultural and social development of pupils taking part. It is a matter for each individual school to decide on the suitability of any proposed school tour having regard to these requirements.

My Department provides funding to all recognised Primary and Post-Primary schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating, lighting etc. and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services/ school services support fund (SSSF) grants. These grants may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management has the flexibility to allocate according to its own priorities and there are no plans to provide additional funding as outlined by the Deputy.

In making decisions about extra-curricular activities of school or school tours, all schools should take into account the costs for parents so as to ensure that these are not prohibitive or serve to exclude any pupils.