Theresa Ahearn
Ceist:210 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Education when the appointment of a caretaker will be approved for Scoil Cormac, Cashel, County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Cashel (Tipperary) Schools.
Under the terms of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress a phased programme of financial assistance by way of a supplementary capitation grant for the provision of caretaking and clerical services in national schools has been introduced from the 1st September 1992.
The initial phase of the programme has targeted national schools with enrolments of 500 pupils or over which have not had caretaking and/or clerical assistance already.
Arrangements are being made in my Department for the introduction of phase two this year. However, it is not possible at this stage to state what schools will be assisted or when the school in question might be assisted under the programme.
Theresa Ahearn
Ceist:211 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Education the steps, if any, she intends to take to help the schools for the mentally handicapped children in Cashel, County Tipperary to cope with a rising deficit in their accounts (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The day to day running costs of primary schools are discharged by making funds available through the capitation grant scheme and the contribution from local sources. In the case of special schools my Department pays a higher rate of capitation grant per pupil in recognition of the particular needs of these schools.
My Department has no special scheme whereby it can assist individual schools which have deficits in their accounts. However, I am happy to inform the Deputy that I recently secured an increase of £3.4 million in the 1993 provision for capitation grant for primary schools. This will enable me to increase the standard rate of grant to £33 per pupil in every national school, with pro-rata increases for special schools.