Vol. 501 No. 6
419 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that St. John's national school, Ballisodare, County Sligo, has no secretary; if he will immediately appoint one in view of the fact it has 165 pupils and is situated in an area that has a tremendous growth in population; when the sec retary will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6974/99]
My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978 scheme for the employment of school secretaries 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 clerical services. Under the PESP scheme, schools receive grants of £15 per pupil, based on their enrolments, which are paid as additions to the standard per capita grant. Since its introduction in 1992, the scheme 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.
Unfortunately the school referred to by the Deputy does not qualify for an additional capitation grant for clerical services at this stage as its current enrolment of 161 pupils is below the qualifying threshold. However, I can assure the Deputy that I am committed to further improvements in this programme until such time as all primary schools of 100 pupils or over will ultimately be assisted towards the cost of clerical services.
