Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Apr 2001

Vol. 534 No. 5

Written Answers - School Services Staff.

Jim Mitchell

Question:

228 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the case of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 11 it is having severe difficulties in filling the post of school secretary due to the grant available from the Department being only £10,000; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that it has been advised to pay a minimum of £18,000 for the post; if he would increase the annual grant to the school and other schools in the Dublin area for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11200/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial services, in the case of the school referred to by the Deputy, under a grants scheme introduced in 1992 under the terms of the PESP agreement. The PESP grant is paid as an addition to the standard per capita grant. This scheme does not provide for the linking of the additional per capita grants to any particular pay scale. The scheme, by its nature, is flexible and gives schools discretion as to the manner in which secretarial services are to be provided. Secretaries employed by schools are employees of the individual schools and my Department does not have any role in determining the pay and conditions under which they are employed.

The establishment of the school services support fund is a significant contribution towards enabling schools to meet their commitments. Under the fund, schools now receive additional annual funding of £20 per pupil, with a minimum payment for smaller schools of £4,000 per school. This fund will channel an additional £4 million to voluntary secondary schools each year. Provision for secretarial support is a particular focus of this fund.