Capitation Grants

Capitation for 2011/12 School Year

General
Capitation grants are intended to be spent on the day-to-day running costs of the school, for example, heating, cleaning, lighting, maintenance of school premises and grounds and the provision of teaching materials and resources. The grant per pupil is paid at the prevailing rate in two installments. The first installment (70%) is paid on 31 January of the school year and the balance (30%) is paid on 30 June. The grant for each school year is determined by the number of pupils on roll on 30 September.

In the case of a newly established school the grant may be calculated by reference to the projected enrolment on 30 September of the following school year. This arrangement will apply for a period not exceeding the first three years of a school's operation.

In consultation with the principal teacher, each board is required to arrange annually the allocation of a sum of money for the provision of school requisites.

Separate rates of grant are paid to national schools maintained by the Office of Public Works. In the case of smaller schools a specific grant known as a 'minimum grant' is paid. Separate rates of 'minimum grant' are payable to schools where a board of management has been established and to schools maintained by the Office of Public Works.

Capitation grants are paid at the rate applicable at the time the grant is issued. In any year where an increase in the rate of payment comes into effect, the second installment of the grant (issued in June) will reflect the new rate and will also include any arrears does in respect of the installment issued the previous January.

The rates of grant for 2011/2012 school year are as follows:

* Minimum Grant to small schools based on 60 pupils
** Scoileanna Lan Ghaeilge (Type 7) = €206.63 per pupil (mainstream + €23.63)

Special schools and classes - the following specific provision is made for pupils attending special classes in mainstream schools or pupils attending special schools:

Use of Capitation Grant
Boards of management are requested to ensure that all monies provided to the school under this grant are made available for the purchase of appropriate resources and materials. Schools should also keep a record of all materials or resources purchased with this grant and receipts in respect of such purchases should be retained. These receipts/records may need to be produced at a later stage for inspection by officers of the Department.

Caretaker/Secretary and Book Rental Scheme

In June 2009, following instructions from the Minister for Education, various school funding grants were streamlined into the Capitation Grant. Caretaker and school secretary funding is now included in capitation.
Furthermore, schools that are not in receipt of DEIS funding can utilise capitation or caretaker/secretarial funding to support book rental schemes or otherwise help provide books for individual pupils where this is considered by a Board to be a prioirity for the school. Link to DES Circular 40/2009 for more information.

Abolition of Local Contribution
The Minister, in October 2001, announced the abolition of the requirement of primary schools to raise a local contribution towards their current operating costs. The effect of its abolition means that schools are no longer required to return forms to this Department certifying that the local contribution has been lodged to their school accounts. This means that the processing of the second installment of the Capitation Grant will be automatically undertaken by the Department, provided schools have submitted their Annual Return for the School Year to the Statistics Section of the Department. Schools that have not provided the Department with details of their enrolments will not receive the second installment of the Capitation Grant until the appropriate forms have been returned.

Queries
Any queries regarding details of the lodgement of the grant to school bank accounts should be directed to the Central Funds Unit, Department of Education and Skills, Athlone, Co Westmeath.
Tel: 09064 83852 / 83853

Any other queries relating to this grant should be directed to the Primary Administration Section, Department of Education and Skills, Athlone, Co Westmeath.
Tel: 09064 83978

Last updated: February 2012