Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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145. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the capitation funding for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5184/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding to all recognised 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 staff. These grants may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.  

The standard capitation grant rate for primary schools is €183 per pupil and the standard ancillary grant rate is €173 per pupil.  Enhanced capitation rates are payable in respect of pupils attending special schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy and for special classes attached to mainstream schools to assist with the extra costs associated with the running costs of classrooms with a small number of pupils operating specialist provision.  These rates range from €469 to €903 per pupil depending on the particular level of need involved and are outlined in Circular 0038/2020 on my Departments website at www.gov.ie/en/circular/b99b9-revision-of-capitation-grant-rates-for-recognised-primary-schools-in-2020/ .  

The ancillary grant is paid to Special Schools based on the number of authorised fulltime teaching staff approved by the Department.  The rates are outlined in Circular 0017/2021 also on my Department’s website at www.gov.ie/en/circular/17595-revision-of-grant-rates-in-2021-for-boards-of-management-of-recognised-primary-schools-or-by-etbs-in-community-national-schools-using-ancillary-services-grant-funding/ .  

In addition to the grants mentioned above, Special schools are also eligible to receive Programme grants payable to post primary schools, if they have post-primary age students enrolled in the school and taking part in programmes such as Leaving Certificate Applied and Transition Year for example,    

I am pleased that my Department has been able to provide for increases in capitation funding for primary and post primary schools in recent years.  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.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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146. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding to a school (details supplied) to allow for the creation of a walking deputy principal role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5185/23]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.

For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.

Since 2012, special schools are staffed on the basis of individual pupil profiles and the disability categorisations of those pupils, as opposed to being based primarily on school designation, in accordance with my Department's Circular 0032/2019 - Appointment of Administrative Deputy Principal and Staffing in Special Schools.

In terms of additional teaching support, special schools receive significant funding and have been resourced to reflect their particular needs. My Department does however recognise that there are additional challenges which arise for special schools including the importance attached to establishing and fostering positive links between the home, school and other agencies. 

My Department is actively engaging with NABMSE (National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education) - the representative body for boards of management in special schools, to address some of these additional challenges. During November and December of last year, NABMSE facilitated a series of meetings nationwide between my Department and special schools. This engagement involves considering how additional school management posts, such as a Deputy Administrative Principal, are allocated to special schools to help alleviate the administrative burden on school leaders.

Consideration is also being given to addressing the significant additional funding challenges that arise for special schools.

My Department is committed to continuing this engagement to address these issues facing special schools.