Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will conduct a full and independent analysis of the level and effectiveness of primary and post primary school funding. [29925/24]

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister, Deputy Foley, be conducting a full and independent analysis of the level and effectiveness of primary and post-primary school funding?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department’s voted Estimate for capital and current expenditure for 2024 stands at €10.9 billion. This represents an increase of more than €2.8 billion, or 35%, since 2019. As I said previously, this is the third highest allocation to a Government Department. It indicates the commitment of Government to education. In the lead-up to budget 2025, as Minister for Education, I will continue to deliver on the priorities outlined in the programme for Government. In the last four years, I have delivered substantial increases in investment in our education system and I remain committed to this vision of a world-class education system for all.

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, as I have outlined previously, are capitation grants to cater for day-to-day running and the ancillary grant which caters 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 one single common grant from which the board of management can choose to prioritise. The current standard rate of the capitation grant is €183 per pupil in primary schools and €316 per student in post-primary schools. Primary schools with fewer than 60 pupils are paid the capitation and ancillary grants as if they had the 60 students in place.

In addition to these grants, €20 million in funding was issued in October 2023 to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. This funding was the first tranche of an additional €60 million in overall funding announced as part of budget 2024 measures designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. A further €40 million in funding was delivered earlier this year.

As part of the capitation package in budget 2024, I am pleased to have secured €21 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools both now and in the longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This will support a permanent restoration of funding for all primary and post-primary schools. This will bring the basic rate, as I have already said, to €200 per pupil at primary level and to €345 per pupil at post-primary level. Enhanced rates are also payable to students in special education settings and to Traveller pupils.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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We need to have a frank conversation about this. Parents are really struggling every single year when they are bringing their kids to school. What we are seeing now, and what we have seen from the report of the Irish League of Credit Unions this week, is that parents are spending approximately €1,400 per secondary school child and over €1,000 per primary school child. As for the real-life impact this has on parents, nearly half of them are really struggling to manage the costs; almost a quarter of them are trying to earn additional income; and in excess of 60% of parents said that covering the costs of their children going back to school is a financial burden.

There is the parents' side of things and then we also have the side of the schools. We hear repeatedly from schools in our local areas that they are really struggling on the allocation of grants from the Government. Many of the schools are saying the grants are not really enough to keep the lights on, let alone heat the place. We need to think about that. I look forward to looking at the budget coming forward in the next few months. I really hope we can put a massive focus on this area so that we can relieve the burden on schools and parents.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Farrell. I appreciate it is hugely challenging for parents and for schools. Deputy Farrell specifically referenced parents. The Government has been very cognisant of that. The Deputy will be aware of the myriad of measures we have introduced in this regard. For example, for the benefit of parents, there is the free school books scheme, at a cost of €110 million, under which books and resources are free for children at primary school level. From this September, they will be free for the first three years at post-primary level. We have reduced the cost of school transport. It costs €50 for a primary school child to travel on school transport, €100 for a child at post-primary level and €125 for a family ticket. At this time, it costs the State €1,100 per pupil to do that. Exam fees for both the junior and leaving certificates have been removed. As for DEIS schools, there are additional schemes in which we are providing more than €180 million to support parents.

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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My Sinn Féin colleagues brought forward the Education (Voluntary Contributions) Bill in 2021. I understand that the Minister did not oppose this Bill, but she has not acted upon it. That Bill would have placed an obligation on schools to make clear to families that contributions are voluntary. It would ensure that no child is stigmatised or denied opportunities because their parents cannot pay the contribution. It would place an obligation on the Department to publish online the total amount collected in voluntary contributions and set out how this money is being spent in each school.

A report from the Catholic Primary School Management Association, CPSMA, in October 2023 said that parental contributions amounted to an estimated €54 million nationally, and that almost half of primary schools surveyed were running deficits, with the averages being from €10,000 to €35,000. There is obviously an issue here. Will the Minister act on the Sinn Féin Bill and facilitate a full and independent analysis of the level and effectiveness of funding?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I will conclude on the initiatives already outlined to support parents. The free school book scheme, the reduced costs for school transport, the removal of exam fees at junior cycle and leaving certificate, the introduction of DEIS supports at a cost of €180 million and the roll-out of the hot school meals scheme are all initiatives to support parents within our schools. We acknowledge that we need to more in this space as we look to budget 2025.

Regarding the schools themselves, I acknowledge that we have made considerable progress but I do not underestimate or take away from the challenges that exist for school leadership. We have increased the capitation. As I have already outlined, we have ensured it has gone from €183 to €200 at primary level and from €316 to €345 at post-primary level. There is also enhanced capitation for our special schools. An addition €60 million has been provided to support schools with the additional costs they may have. The Department has an ongoing review of school income and expenditure in the context of future planning for schools. We will analyse the information we have and we will do what is necessary, particularly in the context of the upcoming budget, to support schools.