Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

368. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will expedite the payment of the schools services support fund grant to a school (details supplied) in light of the serious financial pressure it is currently facing. [15046/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 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.

Following the acceptance by Fórsa of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) agreement in respect of salaries and various leave entitlements for grant-funded school secretaries, those secretaries who accepted the terms of this agreement were placed on a payroll operated by the Department of Education from September 2023. Therefore, ancillary-related grant funding has been revised to reflect the fact that schools are no longer paying these salaries directly.

Correspondence issued to all schools on 20 December 2023 providing details of the arrangements for the period September to December 2023. Further correspondence issued on 26 April 2024 setting out the arrangements for the period January to August 2024. Further correspondence issued on 13 November 2024 setting out the arrangements for the period September to December 2024.

Since the 2023/24 school year, schools have been paid the usual ancillary/SSSF grant amount, minus the amount that schools previously paid to grant-funded secretaries prior to their acceptance of the new terms and conditions. Schools should be in no way disadvantaged by this as the grant is reduced only by the amount that they previously paid to their secretaries.

Work is ongoing to identify a method of standardising the reduction to the ancillary-related grants for the longer term where school secretaries are being paid on the Department’s payroll. The current payments may vary when a permanent model for ancillary-related grant reductions has been finalised. Engagement will take place with school management bodies in order to discuss these arrangements to ensure that they are as reasonable and as fair as possible for all schools. Further details of these arrangements will be provided to schools as soon as they become available.

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

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

369. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the timeline for payment of the schools services support fund was changed in 2024, where the second instalment, usually paid in January, is now paid in April; if a circular outlining this change was sent to school principals; if the change is to be permanent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15047/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Following the acceptance by Fórsa of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) agreement in respect of salaries and various leave entitlements for grant-funded school secretaries, those secretaries who accepted the terms of this agreement were placed on a payroll operated by the Department of Education from September 2023. Therefore, ancillary-related grant funding has been revised to reflect the fact that schools are no longer paying these salaries directly.

Correspondence issued to all schools on 20 December 2023 providing details of the arrangements for the period September to December 2023. Further correspondence issued on 26 April 2024 setting out the arrangements for the period January to August 2024. Further correspondence issued on 13 November 2024 setting out the arrangements for the period September to December 2024.

Since the 2023/24 school year, schools have been paid the usual ancillary/SSSF grant amount, minus the amount that schools previously paid to grant-funded secretaries prior to their acceptance of the new terms and conditions. Schools should be in no way disadvantaged by this as the grant is reduced only by the amount that they previously paid to their secretaries.

Work is ongoing to identify a method of standardising the reduction to the ancillary-related grants for the longer term where school secretaries are being paid on the Department’s payroll. The current payments may vary when a permanent model for ancillary-related grant reductions has been finalised. Engagement will take place with school management bodies in order to discuss these arrangements to ensure that they are as reasonable and as fair as possible for all schools. Further details of these arrangements will be provided to schools as soon as they become available.

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 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 my Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters, including budgeting and cashflow management. Contact details for FSSU can be found on www.fssu.ie.