The Minister for Education, Dr Woods, is planning to announce increased grants for school ancillary services, including secretarial and caretaking services, within a fortnight.
Following negotiations with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and FAS, Dr Woods said those on community-employment (CE) schemes, who hoped to spend three years working in their local school, could "complete this involvement". Many CE participants currently provide schools with ancillary services.
He said guidelines on future caretaking and secretarial arrangements would be sent to schools shortly and would contain a condition that when schools hired, "due recognition should be given to current and former CE participants".
Dr Woods said under new arrangements there would be increased grants for ancillary services for all primary and second-level schools including those that have never benefited from CE funding before.
However, Mr George O'Callaghan, general secretary of the Joint Managerial Body, which represents most secondary school managers, said funding for current CE participants was still uncertain.