Parliamentary Question addressed to the Minister for Education and Science

 

I published a report entitled “Fee Charging Schools – Analysis of Fee Income”
in respect of the discretionary income available to the 55 fee charging schools
in the country.
I commissioned the report in question in order to inform future budgetary
decisions in relation to the allocation of teachers to schools in particular. I
do not propose at this stage to anticipate any specific decisions the
Government might take in respect of the next budget.

It is important to look at the context in which exchequer funding to fee
charging schools must be approached. Ireland faces further budgets where a
reduction in public expenditure across all areas of public provision, including
education, will be necessary. Teacher allocation to all primary and second
level schools will remain in focus throughout the period of fiscal adjustment
because it represents a significant proportion of my Department’s overall
budget.

The extent to which teaching posts can continue to be allocated to fee charging
schools must remain under consideration in that context.