Shay Brennan questions funding for rising school enrolments

Shay Brennan raised concerns about the free primary school book scheme and asked whether the government would introduce a more responsive funding mechanism or a supplementary fund. He said rising enrolments and the introduction of a new primary maths curriculum are increasing pressure on per-capita book grants and leaving some schools under-resourced when pupils arrive after allocations.

Scheme mechanics and enrolment timing

The speech highlighted that the current per-capita funding model is based on the previous year's enrolment figures. Schools experiencing significant increases in enrolment often find that this model does not fully meet their needs, particularly when new pupils join after funding has already been allocated.

Curriculum change and book costs

Shay Brennan noted that schools now need to purchase a new maths book to reflect changes in the primary maths curriculum introduced this September. This curricular change places further pressure on already stretched book grants and increases demand for additional funding.

Request for responsive funding

He asked whether the government would consider introducing a more responsive funding mechanism or a supplementary fund to ensure schools with rising enrolments are adequately resourced. The proposal aimed to enable all pupils to receive free books and materials throughout the year, even when numbers change after allocations.

Government reply and next steps

The reply acknowledged the rollout of free school books to some 940,000 children and young people in primary, post-primary and special schools from the start of 25-26, describing it as an outstanding success that has been continued by the minister. The speaker said he would raise the operational concerns about enrolment timing and curriculum-driven textbook needs with the minister to explore a more flexible model, while also warning there could be implications for schools that lose pupils and urging caution.