Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1983 > Committee of Public Accounts > Interim and Final Report - Appropriation Accounts 1978 - 1979

APPENDIX 4

LOCAL CONTRIBUTION FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

31 Aibreán 1981

Secretary

Committee of Public Accounts

A Chara

At the meeting of the Committee on 12 March, I undertook to supply a note on the up-to-date position in relation to the local contribution for community schools. Paragraph 3 of the Minute of the Minister for Finance of 5 March refers.

The required note is attached.

Mise le meas

TOMÁS F. Ó COFAIGH

Secretary,

Department of Finance.

LOCAL CONTRIBUTION FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

The Department of Finance is advised that the position is that, in the case of the Dublin Archdiocese, agreement has been reached with the diocesan authorities that the local contribution will be 5% negotiable downwards, in certain cases, to 4% of the cost of buildings and equipment. In the case of new schools outside the Dublin Archdiocese, which do not replace an existing secondary school, the standard local contribution will be 5% and the local contribution for community schools involving the amalgamation of a secondary school will not be more than 5%.

The reason for a variation from 5% where such would be approved in the case of community schools involving the amalgamation of a secondary school, would be related to the consequences for the finance or property of the Religious Order involved. Negotiations on the amount of the local contribution payable by the religious authorities in the cases of community schools established by the amalgamation of existing secondary schools have not yet been concluded. The local contribution for a community school becomes payable (in five annual instalments) when the Deed of Trust has been signed. The present position is that the Deeds of Trust for three community schools have been signed. Every effort is being made to have further Deeds (in those cases where agreement on the local contribution has been reached) signed as soon as possible.

Payment of the first instalment of the local contribution for two of the three community schools referred to above will fall due in May, 1981 and March, 1982 respectively. The Department of Education sought payment of the first instalment of the local contribution for the third Community School which was due in August, 1980, but acceded to a request from the religious authorities involved to defer payment, pending conclusion of the negotiations on the amount of the local contribution payable for other Community Schools which involved amalgamation of existing secondary schools. The Department of Finance is taking up this deferment with the Department of Education.