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Private schools in Ireland continued to receive government finance in 2010
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 19/01/2011.
Tags: Teachers NewsPrivate schools in Ireland continued to receive government support last year despite being fee-paying, it has been revealed.
The Irish Times has acquired new figures which showed that more than 100 million euros was given to these education establishments over the 12 months to fund the teachers' salaries.
It also showed that the 2009 McCarthy Report found that the schools received an additional 100 million euros from its school fees, with most of the 50 facilities charging more than 5,000 euros every year.
Minster of education Mary Coughlan has previously spoken out about the decision to keep paying the salaries of private school teachers, saying: "The policy has been set and has been alluded to by my predecessor Mary Hanafin. I'm not changing that policy."
She added that teachers have been receiving money from the state since the 1960s.
This comes after the government put a ban on hiring new members of school staff in an attempt to save money - a move which the Irish National Teachers' Organisation said has resulted in departments becoming "inoperable".
Written by Donal Walsh
D M
(19-01-2011 22:01)
They pay private school teachers because they want the private schools to adhere to the national curriculum along with extras that the private schools provide and also this keeps a certain level of control over teaching habits.
DebMcMahon
(20-01-2011 00:58)
At the end of the day the people who send their kids to fee paying schools are tax payers and they could argue that they are funding the education of children in disadvantage areas whose parents may not be in a position to pay taxes.
DebMcMahon
(19-01-2011 18:16)
It costs the state 11,000euro for a child in a private school and it costs 17,000 for a child in a non fee paying school. I would be more afraid if they didn't send their children to a fee paying school.