Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 473: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the scheme that exists for funding primary schools to employ a secretary in a typical primary school with a principal and three teachers, a principal and five teachers, a principal and eight teachers and a principal and ten teachers. [26329/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 474: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the scheme that exists for funding primary schools to employ a caretaker in a typical primary school with a principal and three teachers, a principal and five teachers, a principal and eight teachers and a principal and ten teachers. [26330/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 473 and 474 together.

My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978-1979 scheme for the employment of full-time secretaries and caretakers in primary schools under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. This 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 It has been superseded by a more extensive grant scheme now referred to as the ancillary services grant.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 toward the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. The scheme is flexible in nature, giving boards of management discretion as to the manner in which secretarial and caretaking services are provided. The standard rate of grant applicable under this scheme is €133 per pupil. The amount of grant paid to an individual school that does not have a full-time secretary or caretaker under the 1978-1979 scheme is determined by the number of pupils enrolled in the school, subject to a minimum grant of €7,980 being paid in the case of a school with an enrolment of 60 pupils or less and a maximum grant of €66,500 being paid in the case of a school with an enrolment of 500 or more pupils. However, if a school has a full-time secretary but no caretaker under the 1978-1979 scheme, or vice versa, the school is entitled to receive additional grant assistance in respect of caretaking or secretarial services only, as appropriate. The school concerned receives a payment of €66.50 per pupil, the corresponding minimum grant being €3,990 and the maximum being €33,250.