Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 3

Written Answers. - School Services Staff.

John McGuinness

Question:

499 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will sanction the necessary funds to Clontubrid national school, Kilkenny, to continue the services of a person (details supplied); if school caretakers who are employed under FÁS schemes will continue in that employment arrangement; if he will fund a new structure to enable such employees to continue their work for schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28965/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

My Department provides funding towards ancillary services in schools in the form of assistance to schools 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 community employment, CE, schemes, I recently secured the transfer of £46 million, 58,407,951 per annum, to my Department on a phased basis 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 £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. My Department recently issued circulars to all primary schools outlining details of the new funding arrangements.

The school referred to by the Deputy is currently in receipt of funding towards secretarial and caretaking services under this scheme. The scheme provides grants to schools that are not directly linked to any objective pay scales. Therefore, the level and extent of services provided is a matter for the school authorities who, through the discretion afforded by the scheme, apply diverse arrangements for secretarial and caretaking services as resources permit. As the secretaries and caretakers are employees of individual schools, my Department does not have any role in determining the pay and conditions under which they are engaged. These are matters to be agreed between the staff concerned and the school authorities.