Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.
Alan M. Dukes
Question:
177
Mr. Dukes
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the position in relation to funding provisions by his Department for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare to replace the recent withdrawal of community employment schemes from the school; if this funding is in place; and, if not, when it will be in place.
[27313/01]
My Department provides funding towards ancillary services in schools in the form of assistance towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. Responsibility for the operation of community employment, 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 providing secretarial and caretaking services for schools. An equitable system of funding for ancillary services throughout the free education school system has been put in place, for which 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 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, 101.58, per pupil over this school year and the next. The grant will be increased from £40, 50.79, to £60, 76.18, per pupil with immediate effect and 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.
My Department has issued circulars to all primary schools outlining details of the new funding arrangements. In line with the new arrangements, the schools referred to by the Deputy will receive a further payment towards the cost of ancillary services before the end of this month. 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.
The Deputy will also be aware that I recently agreed with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and FÁS that all school based community employment participants with a legitimate expectation of up to three years participation in a school based scheme will be facilitated to complete their full term. The phasing out of CE schemes in schools means that certain participants may be entitled to continue working in schools up to the end of 2004 depending on their individual circumstances and entitlements. 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.
