Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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325. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that many schools are in need of a grant calendar to ensure they can budget for upcoming expenses and not have to rely on the financial support services unit or parents for guidance or financial assistance due to delays in grant payments or reductions in grant amounts; the timeframe for a full implementation of these scheduled grant calendars; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50311/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to providing schools at both primary and post-primary level with as much detail regarding grants, grant amounts and expected payment timeframes for each academic year in as far in advance as is practicable.

For the 2025/26 academic year, officials in my Department are currently considering the presentation of schedules for grants that will include, as applicable across primary and post-primary, Standarised Testing, Capitation, Digital Strategy ICT, Deontas Breise Gaeilge, Free School Books, Ancillary grant, School Services Support Fund, Programme grants and DEIS grants.

My Department 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, my Department will continue to seek and prioritise the funding required to meet the ongoing costs of running schools.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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326. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures she is taking to ensure schools have sufficient knowledge of when they will receive a grant, and how much the grant amounts to, in order to budget throughout the year as a school (details supplied) cannot budget for the year ahead or carry out the accounting requests from the FSSU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50312/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to providing schools at both primary and post-primary level with as much detail regarding grants, grant amounts and expected payment timeframes for each academic year in as far in advance as is practicable.

For the 2025/26 academic year, officials in my Department are currently considering the presentation of schedules for grants that will include, as applicable across primary and post-primary, Standarised Testing, Capitation, Digital Strategy ICT, Deontas Breise Gaeilge, Free School Books, Ancillary grant, School Services Support Fund, Programme grants and DEIS grants.

My Department 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, my Department 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 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.

Schools in financial difficulty are encouraged to contact my Department for advice and support. My Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to schools, which may include an advance in capitation grant funding or other measures.

My Department is constantly engaging with a number of schools in this respect. Schools that have contacted the Department have been referred to the FSSU. Officials from my Department are in regular contact with the school referred to by the Deputy. We encourage this school to continue to engage with the FSSU, and the school’s Patron, in order to work to rectify the financial challenges at the school.