Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the first- and full-year cost of increasing post primary school grant by 5% up to a maximum of 30%. [39931/25]

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

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.

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 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 .

The estimated cost of increasing capitation grant funding by 5% to 30% to all post primary schools in the Free Education Scheme effective from September 2026 see table below

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

107. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing secondary school capitation grant by €20. [39932/25]

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

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.

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 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 capitation grant funding by €20 to all post primary schools in the Free Education Scheme effective from September 2026 would be approximately 2.6 million first year cost and €8 million full year cost.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

108. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of carrying out a review of the PME. [39933/25]

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

The Professional Master of Education (PME) is a two-year, full-time Level 9 postgraduate professional teacher education programme designed to qualify graduates as primary and post-primary teachers.

Changes to the duration and content of initial teacher education (ITE) programmes were made in response to recommendations in the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020 and were incorporated into the Teaching Council’s accreditation standards.

What was previously the ‘H-Dip’ of 18 months for primary and one-year for post-primary has now become the two-year PME for both. These standards were developed following extensive research and consultation to ensure the programme would effectively develop the skills, knowledge, understanding, and professional values expected of newly qualified teachers. These changes to the duration of the PME were introduced in 2014.

The reforms aimed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools, which is central to the educational outcomes of children. The extended duration allows for substantial periods of school placement and includes mandatory elements such as literacy, numeracy, and ICT in teaching and learning.

While there are currently no plans to carry out a full review of the PME programmes, the Department’s ongoing approach is to monitor all ITE programmes on an ongoing basis and to continue to develop further innovative measures to improve the availability of teachers.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

110. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the first- and full-year cost of abolishing the private school subsidy over one year, two years, five years and ten years. [39935/25]

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

Gross expenditure incurred by my Department last year on fee-charging schools was €144.8m. This includes salaries for teachers and special needs assistants of €142.9m for the 2023/24 school year and capital supports (building-related and ICT grants) of €1.9m in 2024. 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.

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 at an increased cost. However, it is unknown how many pupils would transfer to the free education system if State funding for fee-charging schools was abolished. In addition, given that the Pupil Teacher Ratio is 19:1 for free scheme schools and 23:1 in fee charging schools, the figures above do not take into account the additional cost associated with the greater number of teachers that would need to be employed if the pupils in fee charging schools were instead enrolled in schools in the free scheme.