Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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304. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will meet with a group (details supplied) to discuss decreases in funding and increasing running costs being experienced that are not covered by the annual capitation grant. [16296/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding to recognised Primary schools by way of per capita grants which is based on school enrolment. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools are permitted to regard the capitation and ancillary grants as a combined grant in line with circular 40/2009.

Schools may continue to utilise funding provided across the range of grants to ensure adequate cash flow at certain times. However, income and expenditure must continue to be recorded in school accounts and attributed to the individual grants as appropriate.

In addition to these grants, €20 million in funding was issued in October 2023, to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. This funding is the first tranche of an overall additional €60 million funding announced as part of Budget 2024 measures designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. A further €40 million in funding was delivered in early 2024.

My Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. Under Project Ireland 2040, a commitment was given that the Minor Works Grant would be paid in either December or January of the school year to all primary schools, including special schools. In recent years my Department’s approach has been to pay the Minor Works Grant to primary schools in advance of the start of the following school year in order to facilitate a better lead in period for schools to plan any maintenance or minor works during the summer period.

Between 2018 and 2023 in the region of €310 million in Minor Works Grants and Enhanced Minor Works Grants has been allocated to schools. The Minor Works Grant for the current school year 2023/2024, was paid in April 2023, to all primary schools including special schools.

Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs.

The works that can be undertaken under the Minor Works Grant Scheme include maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds, improvement or replacement of mechanical and electrical services, the purchase of standard furniture and educational equipment, the purchase of floor coverings and window blinds, the purchase of IT related equipment, ventilation improvements, and enhancements to outdoor learning environments.

Arrangements are currently being made for the payment of €29 million in Minor Works grants to primary schools and special schools for the forthcoming 2024/25 school year.

I recently announced €50 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which will issue shortly to all recognised primary, special Schools and post-primary schools. This ICT funding is being provided to schools to help them continue to use digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment and which represents the second tranche of ICT funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027.

The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published last year and is underpinned by an investment of €200m to support its implementation, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The first tranche of €50m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in late 2021.

Under the previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 to 2020, saw overall investment of €210m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in annual grant funding. This funding enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment.

Additionally, further Funding of €50m secured as part of Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan under the NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Facility also issued to all recognised schools in the free education scheme to support learners at risk of educational disadvantage through the digital divide in late 2021.

While it is not feasible to meet with individual schools, I am fully aware of the challenges currently facing schools.

The Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU), funded by my Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters. To be of assistance, officials from my Department have contacted the FSSU, and requested that they contact the school directly to provide advice and support, as required. I understand that the FSSU have been in contact with the school and are meeting with them shortly to discuss their financial situation.