Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of caretakers employed by primary schools; the criteria for the employment and appointment of such; the cost of such employment; the cost of providing such caretakers with the same pension benefit structures as teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12653/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding towards the cost of caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1979 scheme for the employment of full-time caretakers in primary schools, under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. There are currently 196 caretakers employed in primary schools under this scheme at an annual cost of approximately €5.5 million. These caretakers are paid directly through my Department's payroll.

Arrangements for the introduction of a pension scheme for caretakers employed under the 1979 scheme are currently being put in place and it is intended to commence superannuation deductions with effect from September next for those caretakers eligible for membership of the pension scheme. The eligible personnel will be advised of the details of the scheme prior to the commencement of deductions. In accordance with standard public service arrangements, provision will be made for reckoning service given prior to the commencement of ongoing deductions, subject to payment of appropriate contributions.

The cost of paying superannuation benefits in any year is related to the number of pensions in payment and the number of retirees in the year. Individual pensions are determined by reference to the member's reckonable service, subject to a maximum of 40 years reckonable service, and the member's retiring pensionable pay. The member's life expectancy on pension and whether, on the member's death, a spouse's pension is payable are also factors that have to be taken into account. Therefore the precise cost of pension benefits is difficult to quantify in advance.

In line with standard public service pension provisions for such personnel, pension on retirement would be calculated, for each year of reckonable service, at the rate of one eightieth of net pensionable pay at retirement — net pensionable pay is pay less twice the rate of contributory old age pension for an adult without dependants. A retirement gratuity, calculated at the rate of three eightieths of pensionable pay would also be payable in respect of each year of reckonable service. Pension contributions would be payable by the retiree by deduction from the retirement gratuity in respect of any reckonable service for which contributions had not been paid while in service.

The 1979 scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created. It has been superseded by a more extensive grant scheme now referred to as the ancillary services grant.

The ancillary services grant provides additional funding for primary schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. 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.

The standard rate of grant per pupil under the scheme, which was increased from €102 in 2002 to €127 in 2004, is being further increased to €133 this year. The amount of grant paid to an individual school is determined by the enrolment in the school subject to a minimum grant of €7,980 in the case of a school with 60 pupils or fewer and a maximum grant of €66,500 in the case of a school with 500 or more pupils, provided the school in question does not already have either caretaking or secretarial services under an existing Department scheme.

The question of appropriate pension cover for personnel engaged to deliver caretaking services by schools funded under the ancillary services grant, is still under examination. In the short term the recent introduction of personal retirement savings accounts, PRSAs, provides an option to such personnel to provide for their retirement.