Irish Grant Guide
Irish Schools: Primary and Post-Primary
School Grants Ireland
2026/2027
The complete guide to school grants in Ireland for 2026/27. Every grant a primary, Community & Comprehensive, or Voluntary Secondary school can claim, one click from the official application or guideline.
Compiled from the Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU) and the Department of Education
Every grant in one place
All the grants listed by FSSU for primary, Community & Comprehensive and Voluntary Secondary schools.
One click to the source
Each grant links straight to the official application or guideline, with no digging through the FSSU site.
Real people to call
Direct Department of Education contact lines that can walk you through any application or query.
STEM funding for schools in Ireland at a glance
Planning a STEM, STEAM, or LEGO based classroom project? These are the funding routes worth checking first.
Creative Clusters
€3,000per school over 2 years (€9,000 to €15,000 per cluster)
Joint STEM/STEAM project for groups of 3 to 5 schools. Next round expected 2027.
View programme
Most STEM friendly
O'Neill School Grants
€1,800 to €5,400per school, typically (approx., converted from $2,000 to $6,000 USD)
Primary schools only. Literacy, numeracy, science and STEM materials.
Apply here
Special Class Start-Up
Up to €30,000paid automatically
Fit-out, furniture, equipment and ICT for a new NCSE-sanctioned special class.
View guideline
This table is updated yearly, and STEM funding rounds vary in strength from year to year. For the most current version, message us at hello@contactbrickbundles.com. Get the full Brick Bundles STEM Funding Guide
Primary school grants in Ireland
Click any link to go straight to the official FSSU or Department of Education page for that grant.
| Grant | Rate / Amount (2026/27) | What it's for | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitation Grant | €224 per pupil (min. enrolment 60) | Day-to-day running costs: heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, teaching materials | View guideline → |
| Ancillary Grant | €175.60 full rate / €90.80 reduced rate per pupil | Secretarial and caretaking services | View circular → |
| Free Schoolbooks Grant | €80 per pupil | Free schoolbooks, workbooks and copies for pupils | View rates → |
| Minor Works Grant | €5,500 basic plus €18.50 per pupil (€74 special schools) | Building repairs, furniture, PE equipment, floor coverings, IT equipment | View guideline → |
| ICT Grant | €2,000 basic plus €25.17 per pupil (€30.20 special, €27.69 DEIS) | Computers, tablets, projectors, networking and classroom ICT equipment | View circular → |
| Standardised Testing Grant | €6.00 per pupil, min €140 (€7.50 / min €162 Irish medium) | Test instruments, scoring services and test-related materials | View circular → |
| Special Class Grants | €30,000 start-up, up to €80,000 repurposing, plus enhanced capitation | Fit-out, sensory space, furniture, equipment and ICT for a new special class | View guideline → |
| DEIS Grant | Based on level of disadvantage and enrolment | Extra supports for schools tackling educational disadvantage | Contact Social Inclusion Unit → |
| Capital Grants | Case-by-case, with trustee approval | Building projects, extensions and major accommodation works | View overview → |
| Summer Programme | Case-by-case | Summer education programmes for pupils with complex needs or at risk of disadvantage | View overview → |
| Once-off Grants | Digital Divide, Attendance Support, School Library Capital | One-off funding for digital access, attendance initiatives and school libraries | View details → |
| Curriculum Grants | STEM, Arts and Wellbeing | Classroom resources and equipment supporting STEM, Arts and Wellbeing teaching | View details → |
| Solar Panels (SPP) | Schools Photovoltaic Programme | Installation of solar panels to reduce school energy costs | View overview → |
| Physical Activity Grant | Pilot programme funding | Equipment and resources for physical activity in teaching and learning | View overview → |
Post-primary school grants in Ireland
Covers Community & Comprehensive and Voluntary Secondary schools. Click any link to go straight to the official page for that grant.
| Grant | Rate / Amount (2026/27) | What it's for | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Pay Grant | €358 per pupil (plus €10,000 and €6/pupil Minor Works) | Normal school running costs and minor capital works | View guideline → |
| Non-Teaching Pay Grant | Based on sanctioned staff and approved salary scales | Staffing allocations approved by the Department | View guideline → |
| DEIS Grant | Based on level of disadvantage and enrolment | Extra supports for schools tackling educational disadvantage | Contact Social Inclusion Unit → |
| School Services Support Fund (SSSF) | €124.30 per pupil (min. 200 pupils) | Secretarial and caretaking services | View letter to schools → |
| PLC Capitation Grants | €276 non-pay plus €6 minor works plus €122.50 SSSF plus €91 per capita | Running costs for Post Leaving Cert (PLC) pupils | View guideline → |
| Leaving Cert Applied Grant | €159 per LCA pupil (5th and 6th year) | Materials and resources for the LCA programme | View guideline → |
| Junior Cert Schools Programme | €63 per First Year JCSP pupil | Materials and resources for the JCSP programme | View guideline → |
| Transition Year Grant | €100 per TY pupil | Transition Year programme materials and activities | View guideline → |
| Science Support Grant | €25 per pupil (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Ag Science, 5th and 6th year) | Science lab materials and equipment for senior cycle subjects | View guideline → |
| Free Schoolbooks Grant | €309 junior cycle / €142 TY / €295 senior cycle per pupil | Free schoolbooks, workbooks and course materials for pupils | Scheme guidance → |
| Special Class Grant | €225 per assessed pupil in an NCSE-approved special class | Additional supports for pupils in NCSE-approved special classes | View guideline → |
| Traveller Pupils Grant | €239 per Traveller pupil | Additional supports for Traveller pupils | View guideline → |
| Supervision / Substitution Funding | €1,769 (pre-2011) / €1,592 (post-2010) per opted-out teacher | Funding supervision and substitution cover where a teacher has opted out | View circular → |
| Capital Grants (Major Works / Additional Accommodation) | Case-by-case, with trustee approval | Major building projects and additional school accommodation | Download application form → |
| Emergency Works Scheme | Case-by-case | Urgent building repairs affecting health, safety or continued operation of the school | Apply via Esinet → |
| Summer Works Scheme | Case-by-case | Building improvement works carried out during the summer months | View guidelines → |
Full official grant guidelines
Need help? Call the people who know these grants best
Direct lines, not switchboards
Every grant above has a dedicated Department of Education or partner agency line behind it. These contacts are happy to walk a school through an application, a query, or a payment issue. If you are unsure which grant applies to your school, start here.
| Office | Phone | Applies to | |
|---|---|---|---|
| School Governance Section | 090 648 3723 | schoolgovernance@education.gov.ie | Both |
| Grants Section, Central Funds Unit | 090 648 3971 (Primary) 090 648 3854 (Post-Primary) |
remittance@education.gov.ie | Both |
| Capitation Grant | 090 648 3971 090 648 3924 |
sdfinfo@education.gov.ie | Both |
| Ancillary Services Grant | 090 648 3971 | sdfinfo@education.gov.ie | Both |
| Free Schoolbooks Grant | N/A | freeprimaryschoolbooks@education.gov.ie (Primary) postprimaryschoolbooks@education.gov.ie (Post-Primary) |
Both |
| Special Needs Grant and Tuition Grant | 090 648 3854 | N/A | Primary |
| School Meals Scheme | 071 915 7100 071 913 8625 071 913 8626 |
School.meals@welfare.ie | Both |
| ICT Grant Policy | 01 889 6413 | ICTPolicy@education.gov.ie | Both |
| Standardised Testing Grant | 01 889 2193 | Curriculum & Assessment | Both |
| School Transport | 057 932 5466 / 5467 | cs.education.gov.ie (contact form) | Both |
| Minor Works (Planning & Building) | 057 932 5363 | N/A | Both |
| Special Education Section | 090 648 1487 | specialeducation@education.gov.ie | Both |
| DEIS Grant (Social Inclusion Unit) | See gov.ie contact page | gov.ie/social-inclusion-unit | Both |
| School Procurement Unit | 01 203 5899 | procurementsupport@spu.ie | Both |
| Esinet / Online Claims (OLCS) | 090 648 4171 090 648 3779 090 648 4185 |
onlineclaims@education.gov.ie | Both |
| POD Helpdesk | 01 889 2311 | pod@education.gov.ie | Both |
| CPSMA | 01 629 2462 | info@cpsma.ie | Primary |
| IPPN | 021 482 4070 | advice@ippn.ie | Primary |
| Educate Together | 01 429 2500 | info@educatetogether.ie | Primary |
| An Foras Pátrúnachta | 01 629 4110 | eolas@foras.ie | Primary |
| FSSU Primary Support | 01 910 4020 | primary@fssu.ie | Primary |
| FSSU Post-Primary Support | 01 269 0677 | info@fssu.ie | Post-Primary |
Source: Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU), fssu.ie. Compiled for informational purposes. Always confirm current rates and deadlines directly with FSSU or the Department of Education before applying.
Got the funding? Let's build something.
Curriculum aligned, LEGO based STEM kits and lesson programmes for primary and secondary classrooms.
Explore BrickBundles kitsFree lesson resources always available