Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Jun 2001

Vol. 537 No. 5

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

123 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has in relation to the maintenance of funding to schools where community employment schemes are being phased out; if his Department has a general estimate of this funding; if it has considered its adequacy to fund a full-time caretaker or secretary following the cessation of a community employment scheme; the time-frame anticipated for the conclusion of discussions with all relevant parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16728/01]

Seán Ardagh

Question:

568 Mr. Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will provide a report on the transfer of funds from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to his Department to meet the commitment in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness to significantly increase the moneys available for caretaking and secretarial services in schools (details supplied). [16868/01]

Richard Bruton

Question:

580 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he is proposing to substitute the community employment programmes in schools run by FÁS with alternative schemes funded by his Department. [17005/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 123, 568 and 580 together.

Responsibility for the operation of community employment schemes in schools lies with FÁS. In line with a PPF commitment to mainstream certain essential services provided under community employment, officials from my Department are in discussions with their counterparts in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding this issue. These discussions are aimed at ensuring that as community employment schemes in schools are phased out, funding equiv alent to the amount spent on such schemes would be made available to my Department.

One of the effects of a transfer of funding from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to my Department would be to remove the anomalies that exist in relation to the provision of secretarial and caretaking services to schools. For instance, certain schools currently have the benefit of secretarial and caretaking services under CE schemes and also receive a grant for such services from my Department, whereas other schools are solely dependent on the grants that are issued by my Department. The purpose of the discussions that are taking place is to transfer full responsibility for the funding of schools for secretarial and caretaking services to my Department, which would ensure a uniform and equitable system of funding for such services.

The transfer of such moneys to my Department will result in very significant improvements in secretarial and caretaking assistance for all schools. The discussions are at an advanced stage and a further announcement will be made regarding this matter in the near future.