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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 1 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 1

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Gerry Reynolds

Question:

221 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will provide funding for caretaking and secretarial services for all two teacher schools or allow a number of primary schools to form clusters of 100 pupils in order to benefit from the grant under the existing funding system; and the cost, for one year, of both proposals. [25564/99]

My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking ser vices 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, PESP, a second scheme was introduced in 1992 whereby my Department provides additional capitation grants for primary schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. 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.

Since its introduction in 1992, the scheme of additional capitation grants to schools in respect of clerical and caretaking services has been expanded in line with undertakings given in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. 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 for all primary schools with 100 pupils or more. I have now secured an additional allocation of £2.7 million and with effect from January next, all primary schools with 100 or more pupils will be eligible for a grant of £30 per pupil towards secretarial and caretaking services under this scheme.

My Department has already included primary schools in the scheme which share the same campus or building and whose combined enrolment meets the qualifying threshold. However, in light of current resource constraints, I am not in a position to extend the scheme further to include schools other than those which satisfy the shared campus criteria.

I wish to assure the Deputy that I remain committed to improvements in the provision of additional assistance for schools for caretaking and clerical services.

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