Written answers

Tuesday, 1 July 2025

Department of Education and Skills

Departmental Budgets

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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361. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of making primary- and post-primary education totally free, i.e., abolishing all charges (including voluntary contributions), providing free school uniforms, books and all other required equipment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35648/25]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department has an allocation of €12.2bn gross expenditure for 2025. This represents a substantial investment in our education system and in our children and young people.

There are many different aspects to a child progressing through our school system and costs associated with these. These include schoolbooks, school uniforms, school transport and extra-curricular activities such as school trips. These vary from pupil to pupil and therefore, it is not possible to put a figure on all these costs, as requested by the Deputy.

However, I can confirm that my Department provides grant funding to schools to cater for various costs, including school running costs, ancillary services and minor works. There are various circulars from my Department that give guidance on the use of such funding. They also provide discretion to the school authorities in determining the level of activities, equipment and other resources needed by pupils enrolled in their individual schools. This recognises that schools are best positioned to determine the priorities in their own particular school environment.

In recognition of the particular challenges facing some schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity (DEIS) Programme addresses educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way. The allocation for the DEIS programme is over €180 million in 2025.

In addition, almost 950,000 children and young people at all levels in primary and post-primary schools will benefit from the expanded free schoolbooks and classroom resources scheme from the 2025/26 school year onwards, which will now also include transitions year and Senior Cycle students.

My Department has also maintained the reduced charges on school transport for the coming 2025/26 school year and continued the waiver for this year’s entry fees for students that recently completed their Junior and Leaving Certification examinations.

When allocating the additional cost of living funding of €195 million since 2022 to support schools facing increased running costs, my Department made clear the expectation was that this additional funding should mean that schools would not have to seek additional contributions from parents as a consequence of the increased in the cost of living. While voluntary contributions may be requested by schools, it is important to note that it must be made absolutely clear to parents that there is no requirement to pay, and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own choice. In addition to the significant cost of living financial supports towards the running costs of schools, permanent increases of 22% in the basic rate of capitation, to bring them to €224 and €386 for primary and post primary pupils respectively in the coming school year, was secured through the additional investment of over €50 million in the last two successive Budgets.

Supports are also provided to parents of children attending school by my colleague the Minister for Social Protection through the payment of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear allowance on an annual basis along with the free school meals initiative.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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362. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of doubling capitation grants to primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35649/25]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools and 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 commitment in the Programme for Government builds on the progress which has been made in recent years, including an over €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 will result in the standard rates increasing from €200 to €224 for primary schools and increase from €345 to €386 per student in post-primary schools from September 2025. Over the last two Budgets there has been a circa 22% increase in the level of capitation grant rates paid to schools.

The 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.

Schools should also ensure that they are availing of the available OGP procurement frameworks and getting best value for money for all school expenditure.

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.

The Department of Education is aware that costs and funding can pose a problem for schools, and is constantly working to address this matter, and to enhance the financial and other supports available to schools. 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 funding required to meet the ongoing costs of running schools.

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. Contact details for FSSU can be found on www.fssu.ie.

The estimated cost of increasing the mainstream capitation grant funding for primary schools €224 to double at €448 to all primary schools in the Free Education Scheme effective from September 2026 would be approximately €41.9 million first year cost and €125.1 million full year cost.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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363. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of increasing the minor works grant by 20%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35650/25]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The Minor Works Grant is provided to all primary and special schools, to enable them undertake small-scale minor maintenance and improvement works on a devolved basis.

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 the school’s particular needs.

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 for the school year 2025/2026, which issued in June.

An increase in the Minor Works Grant by 20%, would equate to an estimated yearly cost of €5.8m.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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364. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratios to 15:1, across primary and post primary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35651/25]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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At primary level, teachers are allocated to schools at an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. DEIS Urban Band 1 schools receive an average allocation of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively. The current pupil teacher ratio at post-primary level is 19:1 for schools in the free education system, and 23:1 for schools in the fee-paying schools.

Each one point reduction in the staffing schedule at primary level for DEIS and non-DEIS schools requires over 400 additional teaching posts, at a cost of approximately €22.5 million per annum. At post primary level a one point reduction would create circa. 1,200 additional teaching posts at a cost of approximately €66 million per annum. The salary costings will rise in line with the Public Sector Pay Agreement 2024-2026.

The estimated one-off capital cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by one point at primary level is circa €25 to €35 million, while at post-primary level it is circa €60 to €75 million. This estimated cost is based on certain assumptions regarding the number of new teaching posts generated and available accommodation capacity.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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365. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of reinstating the numbers of assistant principals to the highest previous level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35652/25]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I recognise the key role school leadership in improving educational outcomes by creating a positive school climate and environment as well as motivating and empowering educators and learners within their school communities.

The Sectoral Bargaining process under Building Momentum for the primary sector has been used to increase posts of responsibility (POR) in primary and special schools by 1,450 posts.

The last two budgets have provided for an additional 1000 posts of responsibility at both primary level and post-primary level. 500 AP II posts were allocated to primary schools in the 2024/25 school year. For the 2025/26 school year, the equivalent of 500 AP II posts is being distributed as 110 AP I and 251 AP II for the purposes of fully restoring all PORs in primary schools.

At post-primary level, the difference in the number of assistant principals today compared to the highest previous level is approximately 1,100 AP Is and 1,900AP IIs. However, in the intervening period to enhance middle management structures in schools, enrolment thresholds for Deputy Principals were altered to allow for additional Deputy Principals in our second level schools at an annual cost of €45m per annum. Today there are currently 700 more Deputy Principal positions in our post-primary schools when comparted with the 2008/2009 school year.

A revised Post of Responsibility Schedule issued to schools recently to reflect the increase in posts of responsibility available to schools for the coming school year.

The current annual rates for Assistant Principal I and Assistant Principal II posts are €10,377 and €4,591 respectively.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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366. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of increasing the number of special needs assistants by 1,500, 2,000, and 2,500 respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35653/25]

Photo of Michael MoynihanMichael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.

SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools. They help ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

The estimated full-year cost of a new entrant special needs assistant is €35,030 per annum.

The estimated full-year cost of a special need assistant is €44,300 per annum. This includes employer PRSI.

The table below outlines the annual cost as outlined by the Deputy.

Number of SNA's
New Entrant
Average Cost
1,500
€52,545,000
€66,450,000
2,000
€70,060,000
€88,600,000
2,500
€87,575,000
€110,750,000

If the posts were to be allocated from 1 September in the first year, that would equate to 4 months of the annual cost or an approximate one third of the overall annual cost.

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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367. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of increasing the number of special education teachers by 500, 1,000, and 1,500 respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35654/25]

Photo of Michael MoynihanMichael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.

Special education teachers provide additional teaching to children attending mainstream classes with special educational needs using a wide variety of teaching approaches.

The estimated full-year cost of a new entrant special education teacher is €56,110 per annum within a primary setting and €56,510 in a post-primary setting.

The estimated full-year cost of a special education teacher on average is €76,350 per annum within a primary setting and €78,490 in a post-primary setting. This includes provision for related substitution costs and employer PRSI.

Number of Teachers
New Entrant (Primary)
Average Cost (Primary)
New Entrant (Post-Primary)
Average Cost (Post-Primary)
500
€28,055,000
€38,175,000
€28,255,000
€39,245,000
1000
€56,110,000
€76,350,000
€56,510,000
€78,490,000
1500
€84,165,000
€114,525,000
€84,765,000
€117,735,000

Where posts are allocated from 1 September, the cost is a pro-rata equivalent of the full 12 month annual cost.

My department and the National Council for Special Education are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

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