Desmond J. O'Malley
Question:91 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Education the number of schools that have no caretaker paid by her Department; and the steps, if any, she intends to take to remedy this situation.
Written Answers. - School Caretakers.
A scheme for the employment of caretakers in national schools was introduced in 1979. There are currently 275 caretakers serving 353 Primary Schools under this particular scheme. Under phase one of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress (PESP) introduced from 1 September 1992, 97 primary schools are being paid an extra capitation grant for the provision of caretaking and/or secretarial services. A further phase of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress was introduced from 1 September 1993 as a result of which an additional 136 primary schools have benefited for the provision of caretaking and/or secretarial services.
In addition to the provisions set out above, there were also 721 schools catered for under Social Employment Schemes for Caretakers and Clerk Typists at June 1992. This scheme is operated by the Department of Employment and Enterprise through FÁS. My Department has no information on the number of these schools that have caretakers rather than secretaries.
In order to maintain present commitments under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, it is intended to continue this phased programme and expand the provision of caretaking and clerical services to national schools with 100 pupils upwards and to post primary schools with 200 pupils upwards.
In the private secondary school sector, caretakers are employed by the authorities of the schools they serve rather than by my Department. The annual grants paid by my Department for general running expenses of schools may be used for the employment of caretakers if schools so wish. Information on the number of secondary schools in which caretakers are employed is not, therefore, readily available. The first phase of theProgramme for Economic and Social Progress scheme allowed for the provision of caretaking or secretarial assistance, or a combination of both, to 69 secondary schools. Details of the next phase, which will cover the 1993-94 school year, will be announced shortly.
There are 318 full-time caretakers employed by the 38 Vocational Education Committees. Caretakers are appointed to a Vocational Education Committee rather than to a school and it is a matter for the committee to deploy them among its schools.
There are 117 full-time caretakers employed at present in the community and comprehensive schools.
Vocational Education Committees and community and comprehensive schools benefited under the first phase of theProgramme for Economic and Social Progress scheme and further schools will benefit under the second phase of that scheme of which details will be announced shortly.