Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 September 2021
378. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that any remuneration agreement with school caretakers allows for outside school hours working time to enable school facilities such as gymnasiums and pitches to be available to community groups. [44899/21]
View answerSchool secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.
Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13th September, there has been significant progress in the Forsa claim for improved terms and conditions of school secretaries. While there is agreement in principle to take the same approach to the consideration of appropriate pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers there remains a deficit of data on working terms and conditions of such staff. When the final package for secretaries has been agreed and an implementation plan in place for schools and DE, that intensive engagement will begin on regularising the pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers.
As part of that process the issues raised by the Deputy can be taken into consideration.
Regarding the use of school facilities the position is that decisions on the use of school facilities lies with the relevant school authority in consultation with the property owner and priority has to be given to the interests of the school, teachers and pupils.
My Department's policy is to encourage the use of school facilities, where possible, for community, training and education related activities such as homework clubs. My Department would encourage schools to facilitate the opening of after-school facilities wherever possible but on the basis that it would not impede the school's capacity to provide for education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To assist schools in considering applications for use of their facilities my Department, in consultation with representatives of schools, has drafted general guidelines on the use of school property outside of school hours which is available on my Department's website at: www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/guidelines-on-the-use-of-school-buildings-outside-of-school-hours.pdf .
In addition to the general guidelines above, during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the school in considering applications should carry out a risk assessment to ensure that any organisation using the school’s facilities can guarantee the school that all public health requirements will be adhered to.
