Fee-paying schools refuse to co-operate with review
A soon-to-be-finished analysis of State funds allocated to such schools is examining which private institutions are better off than others as the Government tries to make savings.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn yesterday confirmed that the €100m subsidy of tuition costs at fee-paying schools was being considered ahead of December’s budget.
“This analysis will inform future policy on the potential extent and nature of exchequer investment, including funding for teacher posts in the fee-charging sector,” he told the Dáil.
“The analysis conducted by my department involves looking at the level of fee income based on fee rates and pupil numbers.”
Fine Gael TDs were critical of weekend comments by Alan Kelly, the junior transport minister, who flagged the issue, and called for a full debate on any possible cuts to private school subsidies.
The Irish Examiner has learned that of the 55 private schools in the State, most of which are based in Dublin, a number have refused to co-operate with the departmental review.
“Schools have been asked what is their fee income,” said an informed education source. “We suspect we know what they charge and the number of pupils they have. And we’ve asked them what they might miss from state funding and whether they have mortgages issues. Basically, it’s to see what advantage they have over public schools.
Fine Gael chairman and Laois-Offaly TD Charlie Flanagan and Dublin South East TD Eoghan Murphy both raised concerns about possible cuts to funding private schools yesterday.
Mr Flanagan said 22 of the fee-paying schools were Protestant and could be affected adversely by such savings. Schools would close, he warned.
Mr Murphy called for a full Dáil debate on any such consideration ahead of the budget. He has argued in recent days that each pupil costs the State about €3,300 less in a fee-paying school.
The opinion of coalition TDs has been split on the issue in recent days.
Mr Quinn said no decision has yet been made on cutting funds. “Given the extremely difficult econ-omic circumstances that this country is facing and the fact that every department has to find savings, all expenditure must be examined to see if cost-savings can be found,” he said.
“I wish to make it clear that there has been no decision relating to fee-paying schools and any budget adjustments for this year.”
