Vol. 547 No. 2
149 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Science the additional funding for caretakers and secretaries for primary schools announced on 11 October 2001 which has been made available to Scoil Bhríde, Mountrath, Portlaoise. [2920/02]
My Department provides funding towards ancillary services in schools in the form of assistance to schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. In line with a PPF commitment to mainstream certain essential services provided under CE, I recently secured the transfer of £46 million, or €58,407,951, per annum to my Department on a phased basis between 2001 and 2003, as the FÁS school based community employment 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 received a total of £32 million, or €40,631,618, for the 2001-2002 school year.
My Department has now issued circulars to all primary schools outlining details of the new funding arrangements. In line with the new arrangements, the level of funding provided by my Department to the school in question has been increased from the £40 or €50.79 per pupil that applied in the 2000-2001 school year to the £80 or €101.58 per pupil that applies in this school year. The school received a total of £6,840 during 2001 in respect of secretarial and caretaking services. The payment at the rate of £80 or €101.58 per pupil will issue to the school in February.
