Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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232. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide additional resources and capitation in respect of a school in Maynooth, County Kildare in order for it to accommodate increased demand on the school for places (details supplied). [5966/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The funding arrangements made by my Department for post primary schools reflect the sectoral division of our second-level system. At the core of all arrangements is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding.

With regard to the ETB sector a financial allocation is made to each ETB to fund its schools and head office non-pay running costs.  The grant is based on the overall student numbers across the ETB and its non-pay head office running costs.

ETBs are given a high level of autonomy in the management and appropriation of this grant and each is allowed to distribute its allocations in line with its priorities and identification of need.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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233. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide schools in Leixlip, Celbridge and Maynooth with additional resources to assist with their ability to provide education for persons seeking international protection. [5967/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Special Education Teaching allocation, as outlined in Circular 0020/2022, (primary schools) and 0021/2022 (post primary schools) provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses the Language Support (EAL) allocation that schools were allocated in previous years.  All schools are advised in the first instance to review whether the needs of newly enrolled pupils can be met from within existing allocations. 

The Department also provides specific English Language support to schools with pupils newly arrived into the country that have English as an additional language. 

Further language support may also be provided, through the staffing appeals process, to schools that have a high concentration of pupils enrolled who have received less than 3 years EAL support and currently have less than B1 (level 3) proficiency in English. 

Staffing arrangements for the 2023/24 school year, including information on EAL supports available to schools, have been published on the Department website.