Deirdre Clune
Ceist:525 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will approve an application for a full-time secretary for a school (details supplied) in County Cork. [12376/00]
Written Answers. - Secretarial and Caretaking Services.
My Department funds the school referred to by the Deputy in respect of secretarial and caretaking services under a scheme introduced following the Programme for Economic and Social Progress in 1992. Under this scheme my Department provides additional capitation grants for primary schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services.
While the school referred to by the Deputy has been in receipt of grant assistance under this scheme for the past two years, the rate of the grant this year has increased from £30 per pupil to £40 per pupil. This means that the annual grant allocated to the school has increased to £8,720. The Deputy will appreciate that this is a substantial increase of 33% in funding to this school in respect of this scheme. I am sure that this additional funding will assist the school in putting adequate structures in place in respect of secretarial services.