Vol. 482 No. 6
474 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Science the action, if any, which can be taken by or recommended to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 who has received no pay increase for the past four years and whose employer has pleaded inability to pay in view of the fact that the funding agency, that is the Department of Education and Science, has not recently increased its grant. [19070/97]
475 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on the situation of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 who is employed as a caretaker in a national school and who has not received a pay increase for four years; if this situation is under the control of his Department; his views on whether it is in breach of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work and current wage agreements; if his Department is the formal employer in this case; if pay rates are recommended; if capitation grants for caretakers have increased in the past four years; if he will give details of the action, if any, open to this person in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19085/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 474 and 475 together.
Since its introduction under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress (PESP) in 1992, the scheme of additional capitation grants to schools in respect of clerical and caretaking services has been expanded in line with undertakings given in PESP. The scheme has been extended to include more schools by reducing the qualifying enrolment figure, with an ultimate target of providing additional capitation grants to all primary schools with 100 pupils or more and to all secondary schools with 200 pupils or more.
I should point out that this scheme provides a grant to schools which is not directly related to any specific pay scale. The grants are based on school enrolments and are paid as additions to the standard per capita grant. The level and extent of service provided is a matter for local school management who, through the discretion afforded by the scheme, apply diverse arrangements for caretaking and clerical services. The Department of Education and Science is not the employer in these cases.
I can assure the Deputy that I remain committed to improvements in the provision of additional assistance to schools for caretaking and clerical services.
