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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 9 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 4

Written Answers. - Secretarial and Caretaking Services.

Batt O'Keeffe

Ceist:

156 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has to make funding available towards the appointment of a full-time secretary and caretakers for a school (details supplied) in County Cork. [25327/00]

My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978-79 scheme for the employment of school secretaries and caretakers, under which my Department meets the full cost of salary and employer's PRSI. This scheme is, however, being phased out, as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created.

Arising from the programme for economic and social progress, a second scheme was introduced in 1992 whereby my Department provides additional capitation grants for primary schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. Under the PESP scheme, schools receive grants of £40 per pupil, based on their enrolments, which are paid as additions to the standard per capita grant. The scheme, by its nature, is flexible and gives school authorities discretion as to the manner in which secretarial and caretaking services are to be obtained by the school.

I have extended this scheme to all schools with effect from September of this year. In addition, I have set a minimum grant of £2,400, which is payable to all schools with 60 pupils or less. These improvements mean that, with effect from September 2000, all primary schools are in receipt of an annual grant to assist them with the provision of secretarial and caretaking services. The Government's commitment in this regard can also be measured by the fact that I have increased the funding allocated for this purpose, which was approximately £5.6 million in 1999, to approximately £12.2 million, and I will further increase the funding in 2001 to approximately £16.8 million.

The position regarding the school referred to by the Deputy is that it qualifies for grant assistance under the PESP scheme outlined above, and it has received the maximum grant available, £20,000, for secretarial and caretaking services for the year 2000.

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