Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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152. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views that the current system of employing school secretaries and caretakers by way of grant aid is wholly unsatisfactory, and results in insecure and low-paid employment; and the steps she will take to address the issue. [39786/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The majority of primary schools and voluntary secondary schools receive grant assistance to provide for secretarial and/or caretaking services. Within the grant schemes, the level and extent of services provided is a matter for school management who, through the discretion afforded under the scheme, apply diverse arrangements for secretarial and/or caretaking services as resources permit.

Where a school uses the grant funding to employ a Secretary and/or Caretaker, such staff are employees of the individual school. My Department therefore 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 management, subject of course to any relevant statutory provisions.

Notwithstanding the above, it was recently agreed that my Department would engage in an arbitration process regarding the pay of School Secretaries and Caretakers. The Arbitrator has now issued his report, in which he recommends increases in the hourly rates paid to School Secretaries and Caretakers and the establishment of a minimum hourly pay rate. The recommendations are now being considered by the parties. My intention is to accept the Arbitrator's recommendations, subject to their acceptance by the union side.