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Proposed cuts to fee-paying school subsidy sparks debate


Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 09/10/2012. Proposed cuts to fee-paying school subsidy sparks debateTags: Education And Politics

Suggestions that the subsidy given to fee-paying schools should be cut have provoked mixed reactions among government backbenchers.

Labour Minister of State Alan Kelly expressed his support for the Department of Education's proposal to reduce budget expenditure by reducing the €100 million given to private schools.

"The day of being able to give €96 million to €100 million for private schools is something that is going to come to an end," Mr Kelly stated on RTE's The Week in Politics.

He added that the annual subsidy is "a luxury rather than a necessity" and must be reviewed if the Department of Education is to secure a saving of €77 million.

However, Fine Gael's Eoghan Murphy claimed the move would result in the state only facing greater liabilities in the future and would not help it to save money. 

Meanwhile, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar told the Irish Times that closing down fee-paying schools would actually end up costing the state money, because they received no capitation grant and virtually no capital funding.

Written by Donal WalshADNFCR-2163-ID-801465649-ADNFCR


Comments

DebMcMahon

(10-10-2012 14:11)


They actually do pay for it themselves as they pay taxes and tuition fees and by your logic does that mean that disadvantage schools should be cut as they get special treatment but are not in a position to pay for it themselves as most of these families are on social welfare and receive more funding than average school? If the private schools are cut the children who attend and whose parents can't afford the higher fees will have to go to other schools which at present are already overcrowded . Or worse the schools may enter the free school system which would mean that instead of receiving 3,000 per child they would be entitled to around 6,000 per child and they would be able to apply for more teachers, SNAs and money towards building and they can also ask for a voluntary fee? This has already happened as at least one private school entered the free state system last year and are delighted with all the extra money they got, the extra teacher and SNA's. And they still collect a nice voluntary fee for extra curricular and the dinner they supply.

Clare

(10-10-2012 09:47)


The fees for private schools will just have to go up. If you want special treatment, you must pay for it yourself.

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