I thank Deputy Lahart for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House on behalf of the Minister for Education the position regarding the financial situation in Sacred Heart Junior National School in Killinarden. The Department of Education has been made aware of the current situation regarding the financial position of this school. The Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to the school as quickly as necessary to avoid any further uncertainty. In order to support the school, some more information is needed. The Deputy has provided me with some information this evening, and I shall certainly see that it is passed on to the Minister, but the Department requires further information and has asked the school to provide this. The school is currently engaging with the FSSU for this purpose. In order to address the immediate cash flow issues in the school, the capitation grant funding due to be paid to the school in June 2025 will be paid to the school before the end of this week. The Department is keeping in contact with the school and the patron in order that appropriate support can be provided to the school. 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 the Deputy said, are the capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general upkeep, 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 priorities, except for the employment of relevant secretaries as per Circular 0036/2022. As part of the capitation package in budget 2025, the Department is pleased to have secured more than €30 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This represents an increase of approximately 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates. This increase is on top of a 9.2% increase from last year's budget. This brings the standard rate of capitation grant to a level of €224 per pupil in primary schools from September 2025. Of course, enhanced rates will be paid in respect of schools with special educational needs and Traveller pupils. Schools should also ensure that they are availing of the available OGP procurement frameworks, and getting best value for money for all school expenditure. In addition to these grants, €45 million of cost-of-living supports issued in November 2024 to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. I am running a bit short on time but I can say to the Deputy that the financial support services unit, FSSU, funded by the Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters, including budgeting and cashflow, and that the school was referred to the FSSU by the Department. The FSSU is conducting an assessment of the school's financial position while also providing guidance and support to the school.

Sentiment score: 0.52

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline the position in relation to the financial situation in Sacred Heart school, Killinarden, and the ongoing support that the Department of Education is providing. I speak on behalf of the Minister for Education. That is what I can do. I hear what the Deputy is saying. I hear that circumstances are such that the advice being given to the school is probably not advice it is in a position to take. Reaching out to the community probably is not possible, as the Deputy said. The school has done everything it can. While my response here tells me that the advance in capitation grant funding is being provided to the school to alleviate current cashflow issues and that the FSSU, on behalf of the Department, will also continue to work with and support the school in the longer term, I still hear what the Deputy is saying, that this in itself, while useful and positive, is not sufficient to manage the crisis that seems to be facing the school. All I can promise is that I have heard what the Deputy said, I have taken some notes, and I will ensure they are brought to the relevant Minister's attention.

Sentiment score: 0.27

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House, on behalf of the Minister for Education, the position regarding the financial situation in St. Cronan’s Junior National School in Swords. I fully accept that the school does extraordinary work. The Department of Education was not made aware of the current situation regarding the financial position of this school. The Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to the school as quickly as necessary to avoid any further uncertainty. In order to support the school, some more information is needed about the school’s financial situation. The Department made initial contact with the school on this matter on 18 March 2025. The school has confirmed that the issue relates to a massive increase in electricity costs. It is working with the financial support services unit, FSSU, and the Office of Government Procurement, OGP, framework on the matter. 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 upkeep 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 36/2022. As part of the capitation package in budget 2025, the Department is pleased to have secured over €30 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and in the longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This represents an increase of around 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates. This increase is on top of the circa 9.2% increase from last year’s budget. This will bring the standard rate of capitation grant to the level of €224 per pupil in primary schools from September 2025. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils. Schools should also ensure that they are availing of the available OGP procurement frameworks and getting best value for money for all school expenditure. The FSSU, funded by the Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters, including budgeting and cash flow management, and is actively engaging with the school in question.

Sentiment score: 0.50

I again thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline the position regarding the financial situation in St. Cronan's Junior National School in Swords and the ongoing support the Department of Education is providing. In addition to the grants I mentioned, €45 million in cost-of-living supports issued in November 2024 to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. This additional funding announced in budget 2025 is designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. This funding was paid at a rate of €36 per pupil in primary schools. Enhanced rates were also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils. I hear what the Deputy is saying and I am aware that there has been a significant increase in costs and that it is a wider issue. I also hear what he said about solar panels. I will certainly bring that to the attention of the appropriate Minister because it is worth looking at. The FSSU, on behalf of the Department, plays a crucial role in this process. In order for the Department to properly assess the current financial situation, the school needs to engage with the FSSU for this purpose. I believe that engagement has started. The Department will refer the school to the FSSU once confirmation of the situation has been confirmed by the school, which I believe has already started.

Sentiment score: 0.39