Erin McGreehan
Ceist:33. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the resources she is providing to support small schools. [53706/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 16 July 2026
Ceisteanna (33)
Freagraí scríofa
The Government understands and recognises the value that small schools play in their communities and wishes to support schools to continue in this important role. Small schools receive enhanced support through lower teacher appointment and retention thresholds, additional staffing protections, and funding based on a minimum enrolment of 60 pupils.
A more favourable allocation and retention rate exists to support smaller schools. For example, a school can appoint a second classroom teacher with an enrolment of 14 pupils. A small school may retain its second mainstream teaching post with as few as 11 pupils, its third post at 45 pupils, and its fourth post at 75 pupils.
Additionally, a reduced enrolment threshold applies for the appointment of a second teacher (11 pupils rather than 14) where a school is 8km or more away from the nearest school of the same type of patronage/language of instruction.
Single primary schools on islands are allocated a second classroom teacher, regardless of enrolment; two such schools currently benefit from this measure.
There is a significant measure for small schools that allows a school to gain a post once they reach the appointment threshold and retain a post if they will reach the retention threshold. This measure is not available to other schools. The effect is that smaller schools can received an allocated teaching post in the current year, as opposed to the following year as is the case for larger 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 capitation grant supports day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep. The ancillary grant provides for the cost of employing ancillary services staff such as caretakers.
Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding for general running costs and ancillary funding 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.
Significantly, primary schools with fewer than 60 pupils are paid the capitation and the ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils.
The current small schools project is being implemented on a pilot basis to support collaboration and sharing of resources among small schools. The small schools action research project launched in July 2021, officially commenced in January 2022.
The pilot project will continue until the end of this calendar year to provide adequate time for the final evaluation to take place. This final evaluation is key to setting out important learnings to inform future evidence-based policy development and long-term strategic planning for all small schools. This is to give effect to implementing the Programme for Government commitment to introduce a new national small school's project for all 1,300 small primary schools to protect these school communities and develop new administrative supports.