Vol. 542 No. 1
139 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Education and Science the arrangements in place for school caretakers, secretaries and classroom assistants in the aftermath of the Government's decision to reduce the number of participants on community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23542/01]
My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services in primary and secondary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978-79 scheme for the employment of school secretaries in primary and secondary schools, and caretakers in primary schools, under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. While these posts are fully funded by my Department, the secretaries and caretakers involved are employees of the individual school authorities. This scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created. It has been superseded in the PESP agreement of 1992 by a more extensive grant scheme.
The PESP scheme provides additional per capita grants for primary and secondary schools towards secretarial and caretaking services. These grants are paid as additions to the standard per capita grants. The scheme, by its nature, is flexible and gives boards of management discretion as to the manner in which secretarial and caretaking services are provided.
At second level, in addition to the arrangements outlined above, schools currently receive additional annual funding of £20 per pupil, with a minimum payment of £4,000 per school under the school services support fund. Provision for secretarial and caretaking support is a particular focus of this fund.
The Deputy will be aware that I have recently secured the transfer of £46 million per annum to my Department on a phased basis between now and 2003, as the FÁS school-based community employment schemes, CE, come to an end. The availability of this funding will enable me to make significant progress in relation to the provision of secretarial and caretaking services to schools by putting in place an equitable system of funding for ancillary services throughout the free education school system. My Department will receive a total of £32 million in this school year.
Proposals for the distribution of the moneys received this year at primary and post-primary levels are now almost finalised. My Department is arranging for circulars to issue to all primary and post-primary schools. These circulars, which will be available shortly, will outline details of the new funding arrangements.
