Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the proposals to ensure that schools are not reliant on so-called voluntary contributions to fund their day-to-day operation. [59756/25]

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. As part of the capitation package in Budget 2026, I am pleased that a total of €39m was secured for a permanent increase in mainstream capitation grant funding for schools, increasing the mainstream rate of capitation to €274 per pupil in primary schools and to €406 in post-primary schools for the 2026/2027 school year. Over the last three Budgets this has resulted in an increase in the level of capitation rates of 49.7% (€91) paid to primary schools and 28.5% (€90) paid to post-primary schools. This will also allow for an increase of €20 in capitation rates for Urban Band One DEIS primary schools, increasing the mainstream pupil rate in these schools to €294. The increased capitation rates will also see special schools now receive the same rates of capitation for young people aged 12 and over, as their peers in mainstream post-primary 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 €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. Enhanced rates are also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.

The manner in which voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management. Their collection, however, must not create a situation where parents or pupils could infer the contributions are compulsory in nature. While schools may request a voluntary contribution from parents, it must be made expressly clear to parents that there is no requirement to pay this cost. Voluntary contributions by parents of pupils enrolled in recognised schools are permissible provided it is 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 volition.

Section 64 of the Education (Admissions to schools) Act 2018, explicitly prohibits the charging of admission and enrolment fees for admission to, or for continued enrolment in a school.

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 accordance with Schools Procurement Unit (SPU), funded by the Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on procurement matters – www.spu.ie.

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 - www.fssu.ie.