The Green Party would immediately allocate €1 billion additional targeted investment as part of its 50 Steps to a Better Education System. This will include budgeting in year one for:

• Increased investment in school building projects to €803m (an additional €269m)
• 2,400 new teachers at primary and secondary level.
• Doubling of capitation grant at primary level (an additional €74m)
• VAT refund on income from fundraising (an additional €17m)
• Investment in PE equipment and training (an additional €16.8m)
• Doubling of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) investment in schools (€43m)
• Full roll-out of Education Welfare Officers (€18.2m)
• Additional National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS) psychologists (€3m)
• New, enhanced further education sector as per McIver Report (€52m)
• Support package for third level students (€110m)
• Unprecedented investment in adult literacy programmes (an additional €100m)

www.50steps.com