Rory O'Hanlon
Question:440 Mr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Education and Science when funding under the new arrangements for caretakers and secretaries will be made available to schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24924/01]
Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.
Brian O'Shea
Question:477 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding people who are on community employment schemes in schools who were under the control of FÁS but have been transferred to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25203/01]
Seán Haughey
Question:479 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science the consultation which took place with school authorities and individual caretakers, secretaries and classroom assistants in relation to the decision to discontinue community employment schemes; the help which is being given to those participants to find alternative employment; the transitional arrangements being put in place to help schools which will be badly affected by this change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25211/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 440, 477 and 479 together.
My Department provides funding to primary and second level schools on the basis of per capita grants with additional grants towards ancillary services such as caretaking and secretarial. Responsibility for the operation of CE schemes in schools lies with FÁS. In line with a PPF commitment to mainstream certain essential services provided under CE, I recently secured the transfer of £46 million, 58,407,951, per annum to my Department on a phased basis between now and 2003, as the FÁS school based CE schemes come to an end. The availability of this funding has enabled 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, 40,631,618, in this school year.
Proposals for the distribution of the moneys received this year at primary and post primary levels have now been finalised. In the case of primary schools, I am increasing the grant for caretakers and secretaries from £40, 50.79, per pupil per annum to £100, 126.98, per pupil over this school year and the next. With immediate effect, the grant will be increased from £40, 50.79, to £60, 76.18, per pupil. This will be further increased to £80, 101.58, per pupil in January. As a result, the minimum grant to be paid to schools with 60 pupils or less will increase from £2,400, 3,047.37, to £4,800, 6,094.74, while schools with 500 pupils or more will increase from £20,000, 25,394.76, to £40,000, 50,789.52, per annum.
At second level, the extra funding will be allocated to schools under the schools services support fund that I introduced last year. With immediate effect, the grant will be increased from £20, 25.40, per pupil to £50, 63.49, per pupil per annum, with a further increase to £70, 88.88, per pupil next September. While provision for support services, including secretarial and caretaking, is a particular focus of this fund, schools have discretion, in line with that available in relation to per capita grants, as to how this additional funding is best utilised in the interests of their pupils. These increases are in addition to the provision made to schools for secretaries and caretakers under separate schemes.
The minimum annual grant under the services support fund for schools with 200 pupils or fewer will increase from £4,000, 5,078.96, to £15,600, 19,807.91, per year; while schools with 500 pupils or more will rise from £10,000, 12,697.38, to £39,000, 49,519.79, over this school year and the next. In the case of second level schools receiving grants of £55, 69.84, per pupil for secretaries and caretakers, up to maximum of £19,250, 24,442.46, per school, the annual grant of £78, 99.04, under the services support fund will bring the combined total for a 500 pupil school to £58,250, 73,962.24, per year. My Department is now arranging for circulars to issue to all primary and second level schools outlining details of the new funding arrangements. It is intended that payments will issue to schools shortly.
I have also announced that I am immediately appointing consultants to examine and advise on transitional arrangements that may affect some schools during the process of the withdrawal of CE schemes. I am setting aside £2 million, 2,539,476, to respond to the recommendations of the consultants.
In the discussions that took place in connection with the transfer of funding, I agreed with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and FÁS that all school based CE participants with a legitimate expectation of up to three years participation in a school based CE scheme will be facilitated to complete their full term. This adjustment to the phasing out of CE schemes in schools means that certain CE participants may be entitled to continue working on CE in schools up to and including 2004 depending on their individual circumstances and entitlements under CE. This adjustment should also ensure that the withdrawal of CE schemes takes place on a more gradual basis and therefore reduce the immediate impact on schools. I am aware that FÁS has issued guidelines to its regional offices that reflect the agreement that I have referred to above.