Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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326.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address financial support and SEN support shortfalls for primary schools ahead of the 2024/2025 school year; and the steps she has taken to date to enhance funding and grant aid to schools in 2024. [25311/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Education is committed to providing funding to 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 such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for cases where a secretary is now paid from my Department’s payroll as per circular 36/2022.

From 1 September 2024, the standard rate of Capitation grant has increased by 9.3% from €183 to €200 per pupil at Primary level and this year's grant is being paid, as usual, in 2 instalments, - the first in January and the second in June, for the 2024/25 academic year.

This increase in the capitation package which was secured in Budget 2024 at a cost of €21 million is a permanent increase in the capitation funding to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs. The increase enables the permanent restoration of funding for all primary and post-primary schools from September 2024 restoring the basic rate of the capitation grant to the pre-2011 level providing €200 per student in primary schools. The enhanced capitation rates which are paid in respect of pupils with Special Educational Needs have also increased for 2024/25 school year by 8.88%.

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

In 2024, my department will spend over €2.7 billion on providing supports for children with special educational needs. This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).