Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 November 2019
80. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount made available to pay caretakers in the respect of the scheme introduced in 2009, which provided extensive capitation grants to voluntary schools to employ caretakers and came into being following the withdrawal of the original employment scheme in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45892/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchemes were initiated in 1978 and 1979 for the employment of clerical officers and caretakers in schools. The schemes were withdrawn completely in 2008. These schemes have been superseded by the more extensive capitation grant schemes.
Voluntary secondary schools now receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under these grant schemes. The main grants are the Capitation Grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the School Services Support Fund (SSSF), Secretary and Caretaker Grants to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools are permitted to regard the capitation and SSSF Grant as a combined grant.
The following are links to the most recent circulars published on my Department’s website in relation to capitation, SSSF, Secretary and Caretaker funding.
https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0077_2018.pdf.
https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0033_2019.pdf.
It is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs. Where a school uses the grant funding for caretaking or secretarial purposes, any staff taken on to support those functions are employees of individual schools. Specific responsibility for terms of employment rests with the Board of Management of the school.
My Department provided €92 million in capitation funding to Voluntary Secondary Schools in the Free Education Scheme in 2018. This includes SSSF funding of €37m to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff including Caretakers. It also includes funding of €5m to provide for costs specifically associated with the employment of caretakers.
