My Department provides funding towards ancillary services in schools in the form of assistance to schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. Responsibility for the operation of community employment schemes in schools lies with FÁS. In line with a PPF commitment to mainstream certain essential services provided under CE, I recently secured the transfer of £46 million, 58,407,951, per annum to my Department on a phased basis between 2001 and 2003, as the FÁS school-based community employment schemes come to an end. The availability of this funding has enabled 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 throughout the free education school system. My Department received a total of £32 million, 40,631,618, for the 2001-2002 school year.
My Department has now issued circulars to all primary schools outlining details of the new funding arrangements. In line with the new arrangements, the level of funding provided by my Department to the school in question has increased from the £40, 50.79, per pupil that applied in the 2000-2001 school year to the £80, 101.58 per pupil that applies in this school year. The payment at the rate of £80, 101.58, per pupil will issue to the school in February. I am setting aside £2 million, 2,539,476, to respond to the difficulties which may be experienced by some schools.
The Deputy will also be aware that I recently agreed with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and FÁS that all school based CE participants with a legitimate expectation of up to three years participation in a school based CE scheme will be facilitated to complete their full term. This adjustment to the phasing out of CE schemes in schools means that certain CE participants may be entitled to continue working on CE in schools up to and including 2004 depending on their individual circumstances and entitlements under CE. This adjustment should also ensure that the withdrawal of CE schemes takes place on a more gradual basis and therefore reduce the immediate impact on schools.
