Written Answers Nos. 255-260
255. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the capitation grant for a school (details supplied) which has seen significant increases in costs of heating the school following a substantial energy retrofit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9045/26]
View answerThe 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. The Department has secured €39 million in Budget 2026 towards increased capitation funding for primary, post-primary and special schools to provide additional financial support towards their running costs. This will see an increase in the standard capitation rates paid to schools of €50 per pupil for primary schools from €224 to €274 and of €20 per student for post-primary schools from €386 to €406. 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 mainstream capitation, for young people aged 12 and over, as for their peers in mainstream post-primary schools. These increases will take effect from September 2026. This funding will benefit schools around the country in managing their day-to-day running costs.
The increases announced in Budget 2026 are in addition to the 12% increases as part of Budget 2025. The last three Budgets have resulted in an increase in the level of capitation grant rates of 49.7% (€91) paid to primary schools and 28.5% (€90) paid to 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.
OGP frameworks are available to schools for a number of categories including facilities management, managed services, professional services, and utilities. Schools should ensure that they are availing of these available OGP procurement frameworks in order to get the best value for money for all school expenditure, in accordance with Circular 0060/2013. The benefits arising from these frameworks include cash savings, administrative savings from reduced duplication of tendering, greater purchasing expertise, improved consistency, enhanced service levels and legal certainty. Schools Procurement Unit (SPU), funded by the Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on procurement matters- www.spu.ie
Schools in financial difficulty are encouraged to contact my Department for advice and support. The Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to schools, which may include an advance in capitation grant funding or other measures.
The FSSU, on behalf of the Department, plays a crucial role in this process. In order for the Department to assess the current financial situation, the school needs to engage with the FSSU for this purpose.
256. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm whether students with a formal diagnosis of dyslexia will be eligible for the additional time accommodation announced for the 2026 State examinations, regardless of whether they currently receive a direct intervention accommodation under the RACE scheme; to clarify the categories of "specific needs" covered by the interim scheme; to state the evidential requirements that will apply for eligibility; to confirm when the full eligibility criteria and application process, including deadlines and any appeals mechanism, will be formally published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9074/26]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to developing an appropriate mechanism to allow additional time for students with specific needs and in certain circumstances in State examinations. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has operational responsibility for the delivery of the State examinations including the scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE).
As part of its comprehensive review of the RACE scheme, which is currently ongoing, the SEC has given careful consideration to how best to give effect to the Programme for Government commitment on additional time, seeking to balance the how to better meet the needs of candidates with special educational needs while preserving equity and fairness in the State examinations. On completion of this process, the SEC issued a circular to schools on 29 January last confirming the details, eligibility criteria and process for the interim scheme of additional time.
I have asked the SEC to reply to you directly with the detail requested in relation to eligibility for the scheme.
257. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of a proposed new extension building for a national school (details supplied); the stage of the project; the delays or issues impacting delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9087/26]
View answerThe school to which the deputy refers was approved to enter the department’s pipeline of school buildings under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme for a project providing a 2 Class SEN Base. The project is devolved to the school authority for delivery.
In January 2024 my department approved the school to planning and a planning application has been made to Galway County Council. My Department has been liaising with Galway County Council on the planning application to reach agreement on the required changes, and the subsequent impact on the project cost and brief.
All projects, including this one, are subjected to the required due diligence as specified in the department's infrastructure guidelines and reviewed from both a technical and cost perspective in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code. The project forms part of our overall pipeline and each project’s progression to the next stage is authorised in the context of managing the overall capital programme. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
The department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, the department has also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
The first tranche of 105 school building projects includes 80 large scale and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects. These projects were prioritised with a strong focus on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs particularly to support special education needs provision.
Firstly, to facilitate the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3) so that they can progress to construction as smoothly as possible over the course of 2026 and 2027.? Secondly, to facilitate 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b) and have been prioritised to meet urgent requirements from a special needs perspective or to provide additional capacity to cater for demographics or to address very significant condition issues at the schools.
The department recognises that there are schools with important building projects that are not included in the first tranche of prioritised projects.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. The department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
258. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of applications for emergency works grants submitted by schools for the years 2020-2026 to date; the number of applications approved in the same timeframe; and the amount of consultant fees repaid to schools upon approval of an emergency works grant in this timeframe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9112/26]
View answerAn emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action, and in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening.
The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope works to address the emergency situation. The EWS is intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides only an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) which deals with upgrade works to the school.
It should be noted that all applications received into the EWS are assigned and assessed shortly after receipt of the application. Where an application meets the criteria and has provided all required information it is normally approved within days of initial receipt. However, in the majority of cases further engagement with the applicant school is required and the application(s) in question remain in a status of 'awaiting assessment' until such time as the required information in received. As such, there is no formal backlog within the Department pertaining to the EWS
With respect to applications made, application approved and rejected under the emergency works grant scheme in 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 please see below, any applications not approved or rejected remain live on the system:
|
Year |
Number of applications |
Approved |
|
2023 |
1114 |
834 |
|
2024 |
1265 |
918 |
|
2025 |
1414 |
751 |
|
2026 to date |
135 |
21 |
In respect of the amount consultant fees repaid to schools upon approval of an emergency works grant in this timeframe, as per Circular Letter 0068/2020, the initial appointment of a consultant to complete the application form is a matter for the school authority and any fees arising must be borne by the school therefore no fees are repaid to schools upon approval of an emergency works grant.
259. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any school projects in Donabate are included in the recently announced prioritised school projects that will progress to tender or construction in 2026/2027, given the Donabate area is one of the fastest growing areas in the country with children already leaving the peninsula to avail of a school place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9113/26]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, the department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) in an English-medium school.
The department’s Planning & Building Unit will be engaging with patrons and school management bodies during 2026 and 2027 to identify the most urgent priorities for the next tranches of project rollout to tender. This will include an assessment of how well existing capacity is maximised and enrolment policies and processes are prioritising local special education provision and mainstream requirements.
There are two school projects in the Donabate school planning area.
Gaelscoil na Mara (Roll number 20530R) was established in 2020 as a new 16 mainstream classroom school with 4 special education classrooms. This gaelscoil is currently in interim accommodation in Donabate pending the delivery of permanent school facility. Agreement is in place to acquire the site for the development of the new school, officials in my department are in discussions with the current owner of the site to finalise the transfer of the ownership of the site to the Minister.
Scoil Padraig (Roll number 18412W) which has a project for 1 special education classroom, 2 special education tuition room and 4 mainstream classrooms. This project is at stage 2a. Stage 2a involves the preliminary design, site surveys and cost estimates.
In addition to the above a future 8 primary school classrooms are being master planned for the site at Corballis which will also accommodate the new Gaelscoil na Mara development.
In total, this represents an over 40% increase in the primary school capacity in Donabate.
There is also capacity available in the existing post primary school to cater for increased demand in the local area.
The pace of delivery of additional residential development in the Donabate SPA, along with updated enrolment data and demographic data will be kept under review and this will inform the timing of further school requirements in the area.
It must be noted that the demographic data of school going and pre-school children aged from 0 to 18 living in Donabate shows that, while the demand for school places remains strong, there isn't a significant increase in demand. This will be kept under review.
Through the Statutory Plans process, the department regularly engages with Fingal County Council in respect of its County Development Plan and Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any future medium to long-term school place requirements across all Fingal settlement areas, of which Donabate is one. The department engages with all consultation phases of these plans to ensure that there are an adequate amount of appropriately zoned and suitably located sites for future school place provision and that they are in line with the requirements of objectives as identified in the National Planning Framework.
260. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will address concerns raised in correspondence regarding the WALK PEER Programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9120/26]
View answerI want to thank the Deputy for raising this important matter.
Officials from my Department met with representatives of the WALK Peer Programme on the 22nd January to discuss the issues outlined in the correspondence attached.
I can confirm that following those discussions my Department has confirmed to WALK that the Department will provide the funding to cover the shortfall for 2026 to allow WALK Peer to complete the pilot programme.
I have also agreed to attend the launch of the PASTEL Report on the 4th March.
In relation to the Inter-departmental steering group on Transitions, I can confirm that the group recently met to agree a schedule of work which will include consideration of the recommendations and findings of the PASTEL Report and the evaluation of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) Transitions Pilot. These evaluations will inform the development of the new National Transitions Policy.
