PRIVATE FEE-PAYING schools received more than €530 million in support from the taxpayer in the past five years.
New figures show these schools received €38 million for current funding, €12 million for building projects, €2.6 million for computer supports and €1.2 million for clerical support during this period.
This was over and above the €470 million spent on teachers’ salaries in the same timeframe.
The revelations will increase the pressure on Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn to cut State funding to these schools. During the election campaign, Labour leader Éamon Gilmore signalled some change, expressing concern about a “two-tier” education system. But Mr Quinn has been broadly supportive of present arrangements since taking office.
The figures were revealed in the Dáil this week by Mr Quinn. In the same Dáil answer, he told Independent deputy Maureen O’Sullivan that €6.7 million had been provided from the Dormant Accounts Fund to disadvantaged schools during the same period. Total support for disadvantaged schools from this fund will be only €189,000 this year.
While the €100 million per year for teachers’ salaries has been publicised, the revelation the taxpayer is supporting building projects, computer equipment and other current funding in these schools will generate fresh controversy. The €38 million in current funding is the total under a support scheme for Protestant schools.
Last night, a spokeswoman for the Minister said that while €12.3 million had been spent on building projects in fee-paying schools since 2006, more than €846 million had been invested on capital projects in non-fee paying schools during the same period.
Fee-paying schools, she said, received 1.46 per cent of the capital grants awarded while accommodating 7.5 per cent of pupils.
She said none of the €40 million in school building projects – announced this week in the jobs initiative – will go to such schools.
Last month, Mr Quinn rejected calls by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) for the abolition of State support for fee-paying schools. TUI president Bernie Ruane said private schools had been repeatedly shown to be bottom of the table when it came to inclusivity, especially with regard to embracing students with special needs. She challenged Mr Quinn to address what she described as “educational apartheid”. Parents , she said, had to collect supermarket tokens to buy computers for public schools while the State funded “privileged schools can afford to build swimming pools and golf courses”.
The total number of students in fee-paying, second-level schools this year (26,277) has dipped only marginally – despite fees of over €5,000 per pupil per year.
The 2009 McCarthy report on public service reform estimated the 50-plus fee-paying schools generated about €100 million in annual fee income from parents. This is in addition to the €100 million per year from the State for teacher salaries.
