Insurance swallows up school grants
- Published: 27 September 2008
By Lisa-Anne Crookes
SOARING insurance costs because of vandalism to classrooms and equipment are now accounting for a large chunk of state grants awarded to schools in some areas.
The cost of insuring schools is now eating up to 20pc of Government-awarded grants given to meet the day-to-day running costs of secondary schools in Dublin.
According to the Joint Managerial Body (JMB), an average of 16pc of the capitation grant goes on insurance, but this rises to 20pc in Dublin and much higher in disadvantaged areas.
A pre-budget submission by the JMB showed that the country's 394 voluntary secondary schools are spending a whopping €7.4million on insurance every year.
It also described how the Department of Education and Science uses different approaches to fund public liability insurance for schools and students.
Community and comprehensive schools are exempted by the State from paying any insurance costs at all, as the schools are indemnified.
Vocational schools can use special arrangements through vocational education committees (VEC) which are members of the Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurance.
"Only secondary schools, who must fund the cost of insurance from the capitation grant, are open to market forces and must find insurance cover in the private sector," stated the submission.
The submission also showed that in recent years secondary schools have faced new charges for water and waste for which they have received no increase in the school capitation.
A policy of not charging schools for water and waste has been suggested.
