James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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456. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total funding given by her Department to an organisation (details supplied) over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51477/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My department provides significant funding to the organisation in question and the wider youth sector. Arising from Budget 2025, €84.9m has been allocated for current and capital expenditure for the benefit of young people, an increase in funding of €7 million, or almost 9%, on the 2024 budget. Over the period from 2020 to 2025, the level of current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes will have increased by over 34%.?

Part of the additional funding in 2025 was directed to a 5.5% increase in funding to national youth organisations, including the organisation in question, under the Youth Services Grant Scheme (YSGS). This scheme plays a crucial role in supporting youth work organisations, helping ensure that young people have access to youth clubs and services that foster their growth and engagement. More than €1.5m has been allocated to the organisation in question under the Scheme this year, including continued funding to assist with the cost of staffing its safeguarding office.

Over the past five-year period, core funding allocated to Scouting Ireland has increased by approximately 32.44%. Prior to the transfer of functions of the Youth Affairs Unit to the Department of Education and Youth, this funding was administered by the then Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The increase reflects continued Government support for the organisation’s contribution to youth development nationwide.

In addition to core funding, Scouting Ireland has also received additional funding during this period, including support through the Youth Climate Justice Fund and an allocation to assist with hosting the World Scouting Moot.

A breakdown of funding to Scouting Ireland over the past five-year period can be found in the table below.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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457. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to consider increasing capitation funding for primary schools per pupil ahead of budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51498/25]

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 has resulted in the standard rates increasing from €200 to €224 for primary schools and from €345 to €386 per student in post-primary schools with effect 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. Enhanced rates are also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.

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 €224 per pupil in primary schools and €386 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 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 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.