Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the pension rights school caretakers have in situations where their employment is paid for by a grant or sum that is issued by his Department to the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47323/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The majority of schools receive grant assistance in respect of caretaking or secretarial services under the Capitation Grants scheme.

Within the Capitation grant scheme, the level and extent of services provided is a matter for the school authorities who, through the discretion afforded under the scheme, apply diverse arrangements for secretarial and caretaking services according to their priorities and as resources permit.

Circulars 40/2009 & 48/2009 clarifies issues relating to the allocation of funding for schools. The circular states that capitation funding provided for general running costs and funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.

As the secretaries and caretakers are employees of individual schools, my Department does not have a role in determining the pay and conditions, including pension rights, under which they are engaged. These are matters to be agreed between the staff concerned and the school authorities.