Ceist:
554 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will respond to the urgent points made in correspondence from a school (details supplied) in Dublin 8. [10169/02]
Written Answers. - Schools Funding.
My Department provides funding towards ancillary services in schools in the form of assistance to schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. In line with a PPF commitment to mainstream certain essential services provided under CE, I recently secured the transfer of €58,407,951, £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 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 sector. My Department will receive a total of €40,631,618, £32 million, in this school year. The grant has increased to €102, £80 per pupil with effect from January of this year. In line with the new arrangements, €14,484 was lodged to the school's bank account recently towards the cost of ancillary services.
The Deputy is aware of the major new disadvantage programme, Giving Children An Even Break, which I launched in January 2001, to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. Schools already in receipt of additional resources under the disadvantaged areas scheme, including the school in question, retain their entitlements under that scheme, and also receive extra funding. Under the disadvantaged areas scheme, the school in question is benefiting from the services of a disadvantaged concessionary teacher and a shared home/school/community liaison teacher. The school also qualifies for special supplementary capitation funding at the rate of €38.09 per pupil and a refund of the television licence fee.
There are separate urban and rural dimensions to Giving Children An Even Break. The school in question has been included in the urban dimension and is eligible to receive €2,149 in respect of the current school year, towards providing additional educational supports for the children concerned. This funding is in addition to the €5,294 for the current school year that the school received under the disadvantaged areas scheme. Schools categorised as urban in Giving Children An Even Break with the highest concentrations of at risk pupils, including the school in question, are being supported, where necessary, through staff allocations to implement a pupil teacher ratio of 20:1 in the junior classes – infants through second class – and a pupil teacher ratio of 29:1 in senior classes – third through sixth classes. Any claim for additional allowances for teachers who are teaching in disadvantaged schools must be submitted to the Teachers Conciliation Council.