Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties experienced by schools in obtaining the services of school secretaries or school caretakers due to the low level of Government funding for these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22040/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978/79 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. This scheme has been superseded by a more extensive grant scheme now referred to as the Ancillary Services grant.

The Ancillary Services grant scheme is flexible in nature, giving Boards of Management discretion as to the manner in which secretarial services are provided. The grants paid are not directly linked to any objective pay scales. The level and extent of services provided is a matter for the school authorities who, through the discretion afforded by the scheme, apply diverse arrangements for secretarial services as resources permit. As the secretaries and caretakers are employees of individual schools, my Department does not have any role in determining the pay and conditions under which they are engaged. These are matters to be agreed between the staff concerned and the school authorities.

There have been significant improvements in the level of funding provided to primary schools in recent years. Since 1997 the standard rate of the Ancillary Services grant has increased from €38.09 per pupil to €145.50 per pupil at present. The level of capitation grant at primary level has increased from €57.14 to €163.58 per pupil in the same period. The amount of grant paid to an individual school is determined by the enrolment in the school.

The Department is not aware that schools are experiencing difficulties in recruiting ancillary staff under the current arrangements.

This Government has shown a strong commitment to improving primary school funding in recent years and I will continue to prioritise this area in the context of available resources.