Vol. 518 No. 6
584 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools with 100 pupils or more which have received a grant towards secretarial and caretaking services under the scheme effective from January 2000; the number of schools which have been paid the additional rate of £40 per pupil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12887/00]
As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced improvements in this scheme which entail all schools with 100 pupils or more receiving annual grant assistance from this Department at the rate of £40 per pupil, £20 in respect of secretarial assistance and £20 in respect of caretaking assistance. My Department recently issued these grants to 1,295 qualifying schools. Of the 1,295 qualifying schools, 1,105 were paid at the rate of £40 per pupil. The other 190 schools were paid at the rate of £20 per pupil as these schools were already in receipt of funding towards either secretarial or caretaking services under the Department's existing 1978-79 schemes.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that with effect from September of this year, I will be extending the scheme to all primary schools. In addition I will be setting a minimum grant of £2,400 which will be payable to all schools with 60 pupils or less.
