Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider a proposal by a teachers' union (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26439/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department 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.

The current standard rate of Capitation grant is €183 per student in primary schools. Primary schools with less than 60 pupils are paid the Capitation and the Ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils.

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 was 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.

As part of the capitation package in Budget 2024 I am pleased to have secured €21 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This will support a permanent restoration of funding for all primary and post-primary schools from September 2024. This will bring the basic rate of capitation grant to the pre-2011 level of €200 per student in primary schools. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with Special Educational Needs. This represents an increase of circa 9.2% of current standard and enhanced capitation rates.

Based on the current standard rate of capitation grant, the estimated cost of a 20% increase in the rate of Capitation grant for 2025/26 academic year at primary level is a first year cost of €6.9 million and a full year cost of €20.2 million.

The ancillary services grant funding is currently under review to identify a method of standardising the grant for the longer term where school secretaries have moved over to a Department operated payroll. It is not possible to provide an estimated costing for an increase in this grant funding at present.

Any possible further increases will be part of Budget 2025 negotiations. While not wishing to pre-empt the outcomes of any future Budget negotiations or fiscal parameters agreed by Government, the Department of Education will continue to seek and prioritise the additional funding required to meet the ongoing costs of running schools as part of the annual Estimates process.

Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €4.8 billion to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day.

The Minor Works Grant is one important element of this record level of capital investment in school infrastructure with significant funding provided to schools through the Minor Works Grant. Since 2020, €280m has issued to schools in Minor Works funding.

The Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary and special 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 and special schools. In recent years my Department’s approach has been to pay the Minor Works Grant to primary and special schools in advance of the start of the following school year to facilitate a better lead in period for schools to plan any maintenance or minor works during the summer period.

The Minor Works Grant for the current school year 2023/2024 was paid in April 2023. The Minor Works Grant for the school year 2024/2025 was paid in April 2024.

Primary and special schools need not apply for minor works grant aid. Under the scheme, funding is made available to all primary and special schools on the following basis:

€5,500 basic grant plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil enrolled in the school on the 30th of September of the year prior to the issue of the grant. The €74 rate applies to a special needs pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school.

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.

The cost of increasing the minor works grant ceiling by 20% is detailed below in tabular form:

Significant funding has been provided to schools through the Minor Works grant. Since 2020, €280 million in Minor Works funding has issued to schools, which includes the Minor Works grant issued in April 24 for the school year 24/25. My Department is aware of how important this grant allocation is to schools in underpinning a strong, proactive maintenance approach. It enables schools to prioritise, plan and implement small-scale improvements to buildings and grounds, based on each individual school’s particular needs.

Key priorities for the Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2024/25 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting special needs provision.