Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1036. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will make the State's education system truly free by removing costs and charges to families; remove mock exam and correction fees; provide funding support for electronic devices in schools where they are mandatory; and increase the capitation grant by 25%, with a higher rate of 30% made available to schools that implement the Department’s guidance on affordable school uniforms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41203/25]

Helen 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.

The estimated full year cost of increasing the mainstream rate of capitation grant funding by 25% to all schools in the Free Education Scheme would be approximately €67.3m

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

Voluntary contributions

Voluntary contributions can be requested by schools; however 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, and there is no compulsion to pay.

Mock examinations

Neither the Department of Education and Youth nor the State Examinations Commission (SEC) has a role in relation to the setting, running, or marking of mock examinations. Decisions to hold mock examinations are taken by individual schools. The format of these examinations varies from school to school and not all schools run mock examinations. There is no requirement for schools to organise mock examinations, or for students to sit mock examinations in order to access any State Examinations. Mock examinations can either be set by teachers themselves or are sourced from commercial providers operating on a for-profit basis, which the Department of Education and Youth has no oversight of or involvement with.

ICT Grant

I recently announced €35 million in funding to support digital learning in schools. €35 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. Through the ICT Grant, and the Minor Works grant schemes, schools are directly funded for their ICT infrastructure. Schools have autonomy to determine which infrastructure to implement, including software and devices such as tablet devices, in accordance with their digital learning plans. The funding can also be used to provide loan schemes for devices as needed.

The ICT grant funding is being provided to schools to help them continue to use digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment and this is the third tranche of ICT funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027. The funding issues as a lump sum per school, plus a per capita amount, with an enhanced per capita rate for students enrolled in DEIS and Special schools and to pupils in mainstream special class primary settings. Using this model of funding, all schools are treated equally, fairly and transparently, and are allocated an amount per student.

Schools, in conjunction with parents, are responsible for decisions on the use of digital technology, including tablet devices, laptops, and learning platforms, and how best to manage their integration into classroom practice reflective of their own context and requirements.

Under the Education Act, the Boards of Management of Schools have responsibility for the day to day management of schools. Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is therefore a matter for the Board of Management of each school in the context of their digital learning planning. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community including parents when planning for the introduction of digital technologies including devices with cost and other implications being fully considered by the Boards of Management before a decision is made.

Oide-Technology in Education (the area within my department's support service for teachers specialising in digital technology in teaching and learning, offer advice and supports to schools on digital learning. Advice sheets are available on digital technology in education, including on the adoption of laptops and tablets in schools.

The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 and its 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). Including the most recent grant, a total of €135 million of the €200 million committed to 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, will enable the balance of €65 million remaining to issue to schools over the remaining years of the current strategy to 2027.

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

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.