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The Minister for Education Norma Foley has today announced the provision of €90 million additional funding for schools for the 2022/23 school year, as announced on Budget Day 2023. This once-off payment is to provide additional support to schools given general inflation and increasing energy prices and will be paid to schools before the end of the current school term.
Additional funding in the amount of €10 million is being provided as a fuel contribution to bus contractors operating under contract to Bus Éireann for the operation of the department’s School Transport Scheme during the 2022/23 school year.
Minister Foley said:
“I am delighted to announce that schools will shortly receive this once-off additional capitation payment which will support them to meet increasing energy and running costs. This funding represents an approximately 40 per cent increase in current capitation rate payments for this academic year.
“Additional funding of €10 million will also be paid as a fuel contribution to School Transport Scheme Operators as a cost of living measure in response to the impact that rising energy costs will have on school transport scheme services. This €10 million in funding is in line with the contribution that was paid for term 2 and term 3 of 2021/22 school year.”
In addition to this 40 per cent increase in grant funding, the Department of Education has been supporting schools to access lower energy prices for some time.
The Department of Education has ensured that centrally negotiated rates are available to schools for electricity and bulk heating fuels. These rates are available through existing frameworks sourced by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). The OGP has run competitions specifically for schools at a national level and the Schools Procurement Unit and the department has communicated with schools, school management bodies and education and training boards informing them of the options available to them through these national arrangements. Information on how to avail of these arrangements is available via the Schools Procurement Unit website or email procurement@etbi.ie for ETBs.