Olivia Mitchell
Ceist:1152 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science the arrangements which are proposed to meet the secretarial and administrative needs of schools (details supplied) in Dublin 24. [22356/01]
Written Answers. - School Staffing.
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 in primary schools under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. While these posts are fully funded by my Department, the secretaries and caretakers involved are employees of the individual school authorities. This scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created.
The schools referred to by the Deputy share the services of a full-time secretary under the 1978-79 scheme. However, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my officials will be writing to both schools shortly outlining proposals to allocate the post in its entirety to one of the schools concerned. The other school will then become eligible for additional funding under a more extensive grant scheme that was introduced in the PESP agreement in 1992.
The PESP scheme provides additional per capita grants for primary and secondary schools towards secretarial and caretaking services. These grants are paid as additions to the standard per capita grants. The scheme, by its nature, is flexible and gives boards of management discretion as to the manner in which secretarial and caretaking services are provided. Both schools have already been included in this scheme for caretaking support.
At primary level, I increased the rates of grant by 33% from £30 per pupil to £40 per pupil with effect from January 2000. Furthermore, with effect from September 2000, I extended the scheme to all primary schools. In addition, I have set a minimum grant of £2,400 per annum which is payable to all schools with 60 pupils or less. These improvements mean that, for the first time, all primary schools now qualify for 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 the funding allocated for this purpose, which was approximately £5.6 million in 1999, increased in 2000 to approxi mately £12.2 million and will further increase substantially this year.
I have recently secured the transfer of £46 million per annum to my Department on a phased basis between now and 2003, as the FÁS school-based community employment schemes – CE – come to an end. The availability of this funding will enable me to make significant progress in relation to the provision of secretarial and caretaking services to schools by putting in place an equitable system of funding for ancillary services. My Department will receive a total of £32 million in this school year.
Proposals for the redistribution of the moneys received this year at primary and post primary levels are now near finalisation and details on the new funding arrangements will issue to all schools very shortly. This will give a major boost to schools throughout the country and represents the implementation of an important commitment in the programme for Government and in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.