Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 468: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the roles of responsibility for deputy principal post holders and boards of management in national schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17909/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy Principal is required to assist the Principal teacher in the day-to-day organisation and supervision of the school. Section 15 of the Education Act, 1998 outlines the role and responsibility of boards of management of national schools. It states "It shall be the duty of a Board to manage the school on behalf of the patron and for the benefit of the students and their parents and to provide or cause to be provided an appropriate education for each student at the school for which that board has responsibility". The Board of Management of a primary school is responsible for the recruitment, selection, appointment, discipline and dismissal of staff in a school.

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 469: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will put in place a system of centralised payment for national school part-time teachers and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17910/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department provides funding towards the cost of caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One is the 1978/79 scheme under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. These staff members are paid directly through my Department's payroll. The 1978/79 scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created.

The 1978/79 scheme has been superseded by a more extensive school support grant scheme towards the funding of ancillary services in schools including caretaking services. The scheme is flexible in nature giving Boards of Management and schools discretion as to the manner in which these services are provided.

There are no plans to pay the school caretakers funded under this scheme, directly through my Department's payroll. My Department is planning to develop a centralised payroll for the payment of part-time resource teachers employed in primary schools. However, there are a number of other projects being undertaken at present in payroll development. These include the establishment of an on-line claim system for payment of casual and non casual staff members and the development of an integrated payroll for the payment of casual and non casual teachers in Secondary and Community/Comprehensive schools. It is planned to develop the payroll for the payment of part-time resource teachers when these projects have been fully implemented.