I can confirm that I have recently received representations from St. Paul's national school in relation to the provision of caretaking and clerical services. The submission is being considered by officials within my Department and a response to the points raised in the submission will be communicated to the school shortly.
My Department provides funding toward the cost of secretarial and caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978-79 scheme for the employment of school secretaries and caretakers under which my Department meets the full cost of salary and employer's PRSI. This scheme is, however, being phased out as posts become vacant.
Arising from the Programme for Economic and Social Progress a second scheme was introduced in 1992 whereby my Department provides additional capitation grants for primary schools towards the cost of caretaking and clerical services. This is the scheme which applies to St. Paul's national school.
Under the PESP scheme, schools receive grants of £30 per pupil, based on their enrolments, which are paid as additions to the standard per capita grant. The level and extent of service provided is a matter for local school management who have discretion as to how the grants are to be applied to these services.
Since its introduction in 1992, the scheme of additional capitation grants to schools in respect of such services has been expanded in line with undertakings given in the PESP. The scheme has been extended to include more schools by reducing the qualifying enrolment threshold to its current figure of 195 pupils, with an ultimate target of providing additional capitation grants to all primary schools with 100 pupils or more.
St. Paul's national school is currently in receipt of £14,340 per annum 478 pupils x £30 which is the maximum amount available to the school under the current terms of the scheme. Since this is the appropriate amount payable under the scheme, it is not open to my Department at this stage to make an additional grant available to the school.
I wish to assure the Deputy that I remain committed to improvements in the provision of additional assistance to schools for caretaking and clerical services and the position of schools which are currently in receipt of the maximum grant available under the scheme will be examined in the context of any improvements to the scheme which may be implemented in the future.
