asked the Minister for Education if he will give special consideration to under-enrolled schools from the point of view of finance and the exceptional difficulties they are experiencing.

Since the introduction of the capitation grants scheme, special consideration, in the form of a minimum grant, has been given to schools with small numbers of pupils.

In the school year 1977-78, the minimum grant was £330. As the rate of the capitation grant was £8 per pupil, this meant that schools of 41 pupils or less received a bigger grant than their enrolments would entitle them to at ordinary rates. For the 1978-79 school year, the minimum grant will be increased to £600.

Would the Minister be good enough to consider the traditional method of financing schools, particularly the capitation grant system, specifically relating to areas where under-enrolment is a feature.

I have done that.

The Minister must have received numerous representations from many areas, such as the East Wall area, where schools which are doing very good work are continually hardpressed because the system the Minister stands by is not adequate to deal with the growing financial needs which they have? Will the Minister reconsider the principle of the capitation grant system, which is not based on actual educational needs, but on the notional need arising as a ratio to the number of children which the particular school have which is not always the only relevant feature?

That is the funniest piece of ratio elucidation I have ever listened to, that we should not relate it to the number of pupils in the school. I invite the Deputy to consider the figures I gave him. I almost doubled the grant from £330 to £600 and I expect congratulations from the Deputy.

We are always pleased to welcome the good work the Minister does. I am sorry to hear that he needs my congratulations. I would have thought his own people would be quicker to do that.

They would.

I am certainly getting strong representations from the schools in my area and in some other areas indicating that despite the Minister's best endeavours something more needs to be done.

That is a statement. Question No. 12.

Has the Minister given any thought to the principle of changing the basis for funding schools from the capitation grant system?

I have given a lot of thought and the not inconsiderable fruits of my thought were revealed to the Deputy a moment ago.