Government must immediately tackle school funding, union warns

The Government needs to immediately address the funding discrepancy between primary and secondary schools, a teachers’ union has warned.

John Boyle, vice president of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) , was speaking following an The Irish Times article that reported schools would be "obliged to close" because of reduced funding, according to documents prepared for the new Minister for Education Richard Bruton.

Minister Bruton’s briefing documents, published Wednesday night, said the adequacy of capitation funding for schools, intended to cover day-to day-running costs, is now a “critical issue”.

Department of Education officials have said, in the short-term, the funding shortfall is “potentially more risky than having large class sizes”.

Mr Boyle said this issue came about because of cuts to the capitation payment. He said a primary school student (12) is funded to the tune of 92c per school day, while a post primary student (13) gets €1.77, nearly double.

“I would call for the first €40million to go to the primary sector, that would work out at €80 per child and that would equalise primary and secondary,” he said.

Mr Boyle said primary schools had reported to the union over the winter that they had to switch off heat on certain days.

“INTO would recommend that Richard Bruton immediately give every school a VAT number,” Mr Boyle told Newstalk Breakfast.

“ For every penny or euro we get for a school we have to give back 23 per cent in VAT, schools are paying exorbitant water charges. If those two were removed it would help schools in the short term.”

Mr Boyle said funding discrepancy was historical as the government incentivised secondary school attendance, but that is not necessary in the 21st century. “We need to equalise primary/secondary and when we do that then have a multi annual approach over the life time of the government to increasing capitation by the same percentage once we have equality,” he said.

Minister Bruton’s document stated: “The current reduced funding levels for all schools create a risk that some schools may not be able to cover critical costs - the absence of which could trigger school closure,” the documents said.

“A school that is unable to meet insurance or heat and light costs will be obliged to close regardless of class size.”

Capitation grants are intended to be spent on, for example, heating, cleaning, lighting, maintenance and the provision of teaching materials and resources.

It is estimated that an additional €40 million a year is needed to bring the grants back to pre-crisis levels.