Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 February 2005
265 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will consider the request from a school (details supplied) in County Longford for extra funding to pay for a secretary and a cleaner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5225/05]
View answerMy Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978-79 scheme for the employment of full-time secretaries and caretakers in primary schools, under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. This scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created. This scheme has been superseded by a more extensive grant scheme now referred to as the ancillary services grant.
The ancillary services grant provides additional funding for primary schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. 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.
The particular school referred to by the Deputy receives funding under this scheme. The standard rate of grant per pupil under the scheme, which was increased from €102 in 2002 to €127 in 2004, is being further increased to €133 this year. The amount of grant paid to an individual school is determined by the enrolment in the school subject to a minimum grant of €7,980 in the case of a school with 60 pupils or less and a maximum grant of €66,500 in the case of a school with 500 or more pupils, provided the school in question does not already have either caretaking or secretarial services under an existing Department scheme.
In addition, primary schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. These grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs of national schools which would include heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, painting, teaching aids and other miscellaneous charges. The capitation grant has been increased substantially in recent years. Since 1997 the standard rate of capitation grant has been increased from £45, €57.14, per pupil to €133.58 with effect from 1 January, 2005, an increase of almost 134% in the period. I am committed to improving further the funding position of primary schools in the context of available resources.
