Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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371. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for a breakdown of expenditure of public funds to private schools; the purpose of the funding, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13779/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Gross expenditure incurred by the Department of Education on salaries for teachers and special needs assistants in fee-charging schools was €143m for the 2023/24 school year. The allocation of teachers (in fee-charging schools) is outlined in Circular 0006/2025: Staffing Arrangements in Voluntary Secondary Schools for the 2025/2026 school year. The allocation ratio applicable to fee-charging schools is currently 23:1, which means that the Department pays the salaries of one teacher for every 23 pupils in these schools compared with one teacher for every 19 pupils in schools in the Free Education Scheme.

Capital supports (building-related and ICT grants), totaling €1.9m in 2024 are also available to such schools.

If the parents of children in the fee-charging sector chose to send their children to the schools in the free education system, the State would have to fund those school places. In this respect, the figures quoted relate to the gross cost of fee-charging schools and not the net financial position.