Education spending is to rise by over 11 per cent, with increased funding for special needs and a rise in capitation for primary and second level schools
However, many in the education sector were disappointed that spending on school buildings will remain unchanged.
As revealed in The Irish Times yesterday, at primary level there will be an 11 per cent increase in spending overall. Teacher's salaries, because of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness pay deal, are to rise by eight per cent. The capitation grant for national schools increases by 71 per cent to €59 million (£46 million).
Spending on equipment and furnishing of national schools will remain almost unchanged at €117 million. This is likely to cause anger among some schools and the INTO, the primary teachers' union. In line with a general increase in spending on special needs education, the Department has allocated €50 million for special needs assistants at primary level.
At second level, there will be an 11 per cent increase in expenditure. Teachers' salaries will rise by up to 13 per cent due to the PPF. Grants to secondary schools generally are up 32 per cent to almost €71 million.
The amount of money for the VEC sector, which offers many adult education courses, goes up eight per cent to over €500 million. The provision for buildings remains at €163 million.
At third level, general spending on universities and other approved colleges rises by 16 per cent to €603 million, while funding to alleviate disadvantage goes up 31 per cent to €26 million. There was some surprise that spending on information technology rose by only a small margin at primary and second level. For example, spending on information and communication technologies rises by only two per cent to €25.7 million at primary level.
Mr George O'Callaghan, general secretary of the Joint Managerial Body, which represents hundreds of voluntary secondary schools, said many schools would be disappointed by the decision not to increase funds for school buildings. He said he hoped school projects "currently online" would be completed despite the decision. "It is certain there will be a slowdown in the number of projects being completed by the Department.
"Some schools need completely new premises, while others need serious refurbishment," he said. He said more people were needed in the Department's building unit to process projects.
Spending in the minister's office on administration was relatively static. The increasing workload of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) was evident, with its expenses rising by 20 per cent. The Minister for Education, Dr Woods, said the budgetary process was not complete.