Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 1

Written Answers. - Ministerial Appointments.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

398 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of facilitators that have been appointed by him since taking office to ensure that individual schools prepare and publish mission statements; the name of the people appointed; and the salary and expenses being paid in this regard. [29347/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The preparation of a mission statement is part of the school development planning process. The school development planning initiative – SDPI – was established with effect from 1 September 1999 to assist schools in furthering the process of collaborative whole-school planning.

As part of the initiative, at second level, there is a panel of approximately 75 trained facilitators who are available to schools on a part-time, occasional basis. These and other facilitators are engaged by the schools and are paid fees and expenses by the schools, depending on the service they give; these payments are in accordance with guidelines based on rates applicable to inservice provision generally.

The Department does not keep records of the facilitators engaged by schools or the amounts the schools pay them.

The work of the facilitators is co-ordinated, supported and supplemented by full-time regional co-ordinators.

At primary level, there are 16 full-time facilitators serving as part of the school development planning initiative; all of these were appointed since I took up office. The names of the facilitators are: Margaret J. Bleach, Christy Carroll, Dympna Daly, Roisín Doherty, Fiona C Dunne, John Ewing Fitzgerald, Mags Jordan, Steve Lane, Anne Lynch, Sally McGinley, Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, Mary O'Leary, Bernadette Uí Mhaolbhuaidh, Mary Martin, Rosemary Dunne and Enda Flynn.

For the period of their assignments, facilitators are paid on the following payscale, with effect from 1 October 2000: £30,754 – £31,893 – £33,033 – £34,171 – £35,311, adjusted as appropriate in accordance with general pay round increases which may arise in the future.

They are placed on the point of this scale that is nearest to and above their current annual salary, including allowances. Appointees are, on an exceptional and personal basis, allowed to retain their existing teacher salary and allowances if this is higher than the maximum of the above scale.

The work of the facilitators at primary level is also co-ordinated, supported and supplemented by full-time regional co-ordinators.