Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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85. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional funding is being provided to her Department this year due to additional expenditure arising following storm Éowyn; if additional funding is provided, the programmes and schemes that will benefit from this additional expenditure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14578/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Following the recent weather events and associated fallout from Storm Eowyn the Department of Education’s Planning and Building Unit and in particular the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) were in contact with a number of schools who have suffered critical damage. This will be primarily dealt with via insurance and supplemented, where necessary, through the Department’s Emergency Works Scheme.

The main purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide for unforeseen emergencies that impact on school buildings. An emergency is defined as a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action and, in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening.

In respect of schools that have suffered minor damage, the option is open to these school to use the minor works grant (MWG), - also under the Planning and Building Unit, - or capitation funding, which is provided by the Department on an annual basis, to repair this damage. Alternatively, schools may wish to engage with their respective insurance companies in this regard.

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/SSSF 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/SSSF 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 the employment of relevant secretaries as per Circular 0036/2022.

The current standard rate of Capitation grant is €200 per pupil in primary schools and €345 per student in post-primary schools.

Primary schools with fewer than 60 pupils are paid the Capitation and the Ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils. At post-primary level, schools with fewer than 200 students receive ancillary-related grants on the basis of having 200 students.

As part of the capitation package in Budget 2025 I am pleased to have secured over €30 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This represents an increase of circa 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates. This increase is on top of the circa 9.2% increase from last year’s budget. This will bring the standard rate of Capitation grant to the level of €224 per pupil in primary schools and €386 per student in post-primary schools from September 2025. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.

In addition to these grants, €45 million in cost-of-living supports issued in November 2024, to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. This additional funding announced in Budget 2025 is designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. This funding was paid at a rate of €36 per pupil in primary schools and €55 per student in post-primary schools. Enhanced rates were also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils. Schools should also ensure that they are availing of the available OGP procurement frameworks and getting best value for money for all school expenditure.

The Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU), funded by the Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters, including budgeting and cashflow management. Any schools that are experiencing financial difficulty can contact the FSSU for guidance and support. Contact details for FSSU can be found on www.fssu.ie.