Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 Feb 1994

Vol. 438 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - Secretarial Service for Dublin Schools.

Mr. G. Mitchell

First, I am grateful that this matter has been selected for the Adjournment Debate this evening. This is an issue which affects 917 pupils who are on the same campus in three separate schools in Walkinstown; Assumption Senior Girls School, Assumption Junior Girls School and Assumption Junior Boys School. Despite the fact that these schools have a total of 917 pupils on the same campus in four blocks, A, B, C and D, and share the same common hall and playground, they do not have the services of a secretary.

I argue that these schools should have at least two secretaries based on the regulation that schools must have an enrolment of 400 plus pupils to be eligible for a full-time secretary. None of these schools taken individually would have that number of pupils; the schools respectively have 339, 297 and 281 pupils but taken together they amount to a total of 917 pupils. There is nobody available in these schools to receive visitors, inspectors, parents or, indeed strangers, coming to the schools. That is totally unacceptable and would not be tolerated anywhere else in the country. Strictly speaking, the Minister may say that three different schools are involved but I remind him that 917 pupils are affected. How can one run a campus of that kind, with a common hall and common playground area, where principals cannot be in their offices constantly to receive people coming in, without at least two secretaries?

I understand that, under the provisions of the new programme, there may well be a lowering of the figure of 400 but, regardless of the figure, there should be at least two secretaries there. I am not asking for a secretary for each of the schools, two between the three seems very reasonable. That would afford two secretaries for an average of 458 or 459 pupils each, which would still be well above the average figure.

I hope that — with the burden of clerical work falling on the principal of each school at present, the fact that the problem is exacerbated by the principals required to be in class, with no secretary to answer the telephone or meet teachers' requirements, to welcome inspectors, visitors, parents and others to the school — in all fairness the Minister will allow two secretaries to be allocated to the schools in question. I hope the Minister will accede to this request.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Mr. Browne,

Wexford): The current arrangements for the provision of clerical services in primary schools are based on the enrolments of individual schools. Under the criteria which determine eligibility, it is not possible to include the three schools to which the Deputy refers.

The programme of financial assistance for the provision of caretaking and clerical services in primary schools was introduced on a phased basis from 1 September 1992 under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress to augment the resources available to schools.

Under the phased introduction of the programme provision has now been extended to primary schools with single enrolments of 400 pupils or over, schools classified as disadvantaged with an enrolment of 200 pupils or over and some schools catering for pupils with special needs.

Grants are calculated on a per capita basis and made directly to the boards of management of schools qualifying for assistance. This recognises that each individual board should have discretion to apply the grant in a manner which best suits the needs of the school.

The scheme does not provide for assessment on the basis of the collective enrolment of a number of schools operating in the same area or on the same campus.

The schools referred to by the Deputy do not qualify at present as no school has a single enrolment of over 400 pupils or is classified as disadvantaged.

However, an additional provision of £300,000 has been allocated to the scheme which will make it possible to review the eligibility criteria for the 1994-95 school year.