Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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475. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated average public expenditure per pupil in primary, post-primary, and further/third-level education; and if these figures are in nominal or constant prices, for each school year from 1990 to 2025. [60953/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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476. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cumulative average cost to the Exchequer of educating one individual from junior infants through completion of the leaving certificate, and from primary through completing secondary education, respectively, based on expenditure levels applicable to cohorts entering the system in 1990, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020. [60954/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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477. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the breakdown of the per-pupil expenditure figures by category, teacher pay, school capitation, capital expenditure, administration, transport, grants, and so on for the years 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020. [60955/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 475 to 477, inclusive, together.

Expenditure per pupil is collated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for primary and post primary education. The table requested by the deputy is available here data-viewer.oecd.org/?chartId=b32869fc-e9ec-465b-b658-e4efb86a786f. I have extracted part of the table for reference below.

Expenditure on educational institutions per full-time equivalent student

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.

Enhanced rates of capitation currently apply to all students in special schools. However, for the majority of students in special schools, there was no increase in this enhanced rate when students reached the age of 12. This has now been addressed in Budget 2026 to reflect the difference which applies to their mainstream peers. This adjustment reflects the higher costs associated with education provision for older students and ensures funding on a fair and equitable basis across educational settings for all students.

Each special school, with a student(s) enrolled aged 12 or over, will benefit from this increase and up to 139 special schools are expected to benefit from this measure.

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.