Minister Mary Hanafin, Minister for Education and Science
- Published: 13 December 2007
Dear Minister Hanafin,
The issue of water charges being levied on primary schools is a matter of serious concern to Boards of Management and especially to Principal Teachers. Water is a new expense to schools and despite the recent €15 increase in capitation grants the overall increase in utility costs, continues to out-strip any increase in schools' income.
Local Authorities appear to be classifying schools as businesses in order to justify these charges. However, schools are not businesses, they do not manufacture or sell goods & services and they are certainly not in the "business" of making profit. Primary schools can not register as a public or private company and are unable to register for VAT. If we take the current understanding that Primary Schools are businesses to its logical conclusion, then surely Local Authority Rates should also apply.
We understand from today's media that a senior commission environment directorate general official, Jorge Rodríguez Romero is of the belief that an exemption from water charges is possible and not in contravention of the EU Directive in question.
'The Government, he said, was entitled to make exceptions to the directive, which in any event did not come into effect until September 2010, by itself and without the prior approval of the commission.' (sic) Mark Hennessy, Irish Times,
I ask you to consider the following options:
- 1. Advise Boards of Management and Principal Teachers to defer requests for payment of water charges until a satisfactory outcome is achieved
- 2. Request of the Minister for the Environment a special derogation for Primary schools based on the aforementioned points
- 3. In the event of a derogation not being agreed to, consideration by the DES to initiate a single bilateral payment on behalf of all Primary schools to the Department of the Environment
Primary schools will not receive the first instalment of the capitation grant for the 2007/2008 academic year until mid January 2008. However, the operational costs of schools have been accruing since September 1st. Our research shows that the majority of schools have either overdrawn their bank accounts or have numerous outstanding creditors. This is reality for schools and any amount of water conservation, whilst laudable in itself, will not make a difference. I want to re-iterate the importance of eliminating water charges in Primary Schools and the need to bring in line their level of funding with that of Second Level Schools.
I trust you will address the serious impact of water charges on primary schools' budgets and their consequential impact on budgets in your Department.
I look forward to hearing from you on this matter.
Is mise le meas
____________
Seán Cottrell
Director
