Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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133. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how she intends to tackle soaring school running costs; if she will initiative a comprehensive review of school running costs and schools funding; if she will increase school capitation by 20% for primary schools in budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31222/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools. This has included a €30 million permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs through Budget 2025. 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 Budget 2024.

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. Budget 2025 will bring the standard rate of capitation grant to the level of €224 per pupil in primary schools from September 2025. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.

Any possible further increases will be part of Budget 2026 negotiations. 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.

The Programme for Government commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet the elevated day-to-day running costs.

The estimated cost of increasing capitation grant funding by 20% to Primary schools in the Free Education Scheme effective from September 2026 would be approximately €9.8 million first year cost and €29.2 million full year cost.

Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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134. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to her Department’s announcement of 29 May 2025 regarding minor works and ICT funding for schools, when she expects these grant funding payments to issue to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31251/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced €65 million in funding to support digital learning in schools and minor building works. €35 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has now issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools.

This ICT funding is being provided to schools to help them continue to use digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment and which represents the third tranche of ICT funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027.

The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 and it's associated implementation plan is underpinned by funding of €200m over the course of the strategy, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The funding allocation model is provided for in the National Development Plan and commits to funding to issue over the period of the NDP, applied by the Department for the Digital Strategy duration (to 2027 for the current strategy).

To date, a total of €100 million of the €200 million committed for in the NDP for the strategy has issued to schools through the ICT grant. While the NDP commitment did not guarantee a specific amount in each year however, it is anticipated that issuing €35m in 2025, as announced by the Minister, will enable the balance of €65 million remaining to issue to schools over the remaining years of the current strategy to 2027.

This funding underpins the ongoing commitment to supporting and enabling schools to ensure the continued embedding of digital technologies in teaching learning and assessment.

Since 2020, €310 million in Minor Works Grants and Enhanced Minor Works Grants, have been allocated to schools. This includes the payment of Minor Works Grants totalling almost €30 million being provided to primary and special schools for the school year 2025/2026 which has issued this week .