Vol. 508 No. 5
122 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the deduction of £400 for minimum teacher salary for each teacher from the secondary capitation grant; and if he will make arrangements to absorb this cost. [19402/99]
The authorities of secondary schools are the employers of the teachers in their schools and are responsible for the payment of £400 of each approved teacher's annual salary. This payment is generally referred to as the "school salary".
Some years ago my Department, following receipt of requests from the managerial authority and the teachers' union, agreed to pay the school salary on behalf of the school authorities in the case of teachers employed in schools in the free education scheme and to make the appropriate deduction in the capitation grant actually paid to schools. This arrangement was made to facilitate the schools and the teachers concerned. There was no reduction in the capitation grant arising from it.
