Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1520: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the arrangements under which schools secretaries are employed; if there are proposals under consideration to alter or amend these arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1343/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One is the 1978 scheme under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. These secretaries are paid directly through my Department's payroll. The 1978 scheme is being phased out. The new Ancillary Services Grant scheme has superseded the 1978 scheme.

The new Ancillary Services grant scheme is a more extensive scheme covering the funding of ancillary services in primary schools, including secretarial services. The scheme is flexible in nature giving Boards of Management and schools discretion as to the manner in which secretarial services are provided.

Under the new scheme the arrangement is that each school receives a grant from my Department for the provision of secretarial and other ancillary services. It is a matter for each school to determine how best to meet its secretarial requirements. My Department has no direct role in the pay or conditions of service of secretaries employed directly by schools under these arrangements.

There are no proposals at present to change this position.