My Department provides funding towards the cost of caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One is the 1978/79 scheme under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. These staff members are paid directly through my Department's payroll. The 1978/79 scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created.
The 1978/79 scheme has been superseded by a more extensive school support grant scheme towards the funding of ancillary services in schools including caretaking services. The scheme is flexible in nature giving Boards of Management and schools discretion as to the manner in which these services are provided.
There are no plans to pay the school caretakers funded under this scheme, directly through my Department's payroll. My Department is planning to develop a centralised payroll for the payment of part-time resource teachers employed in primary schools. However, there are a number of other projects being undertaken at present in payroll development. These include the establishment of an on-line claim system for payment of casual and non casual staff members and the development of an integrated payroll for the payment of casual and non casual teachers in Secondary and Community/Comprehensive schools. It is planned to develop the payroll for the payment of part-time resource teachers when these projects have been fully implemented.