Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
604. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools with either a secretary or caretaker directly employed by his Department; the criteria that apply to the allocation of these posts; the number of staff employed in schools under the ancillary services grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35225/18]
View answerThe Boards of Management of schools are responsible for the employment of school secretaries and caretakers and it is a matter for each school to determine the level of secretarial and caretaking needs required for the school. Funding to cater for these needs is made available from my Department under two separate schemes.
One is the 1978/79 scheme under which the school secretaries and caretakers are paid directly through the payroll operated by my Department. The 1978/79 scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created. There are currently 179 schools with secretaries and caretakers employed under this scheme.
The 1978/79 scheme has been superseded by a more extensive capitation grant scheme towards the funding of ancillary services in schools. Within the grant programme, the level and extent of services provided is a matter for the school authorities who, through the discretion afforded by the scheme, apply their own arrangements for secretarial services as resources permit. My Department does not have any direct role in the pay and conditions under which they are engaged. Given that employment of school secretaries and caretakers is dealt with at local school level, my Department does not have a central record of the number of school secretaries and caretakers funded by the ancillary services grant.
