Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised primary schools and second level schools within the free education scheme.

My Department provides capitation funding to mainstream primary schools by way of per capita grants, subject to a minimum grant equivalent to 60 pupils. Enhanced rates are payable to Special Schools and Special Classes attached to mainstream schools.

The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level schools reflect the sectoral division of our second-level system. At the core of all arrangements is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding.

My Department provides funding to Community and Comprehensive schools on a budget basis that is based mainly on pupil numbers, but also take into account additional factors which vary from school to school such as age of buildings, size of school etc.

With regard to the ETB sector financial allocations are made to ETBs as part of a block grant. ETBs are given a high level of autonomy in the management and appropriation of this grant and each is allowed to distribute its allocations in line with its priorities and perceptions of need.

My Department provides funding to voluntary secondary schools by way of per capita grants.

DEIS capitation is paid based on a school's relative level of disadvantage against all other schools.

Fee charging schools do not receive any capitation or related grants from my Department.

Information on the funding allocated to schools in County Louth, as requested by the Deputy, is not readily available. My officials are currently compiling this information and it will be forwarded to the Deputy in due course.