Insurance costs in national school accounts
Horgan questioned whether school funds could pay insurance premiums. Wilson said only specified liability insurance could be charged to school accounts, and schools had been directed not to charge other insurance; recovery of misused funds was under consideration. The Chair ruled a further question on board tenure separate before moving to Question 27.
asked the Minister for Education if the Constitution and Rules of Procedure for Boards of Management of National Schools permit the expenditure of funds voted by the Oireachtas for the heating and cleaning of these schools to be spent on insurance premiums.
Comment on this
It is not correct to say that the funds voted each year by the Oireachtas as capitation grants towards operating costs of national schools are for the heating and cleaning of those schools, merely. The Constitution and Rules of Procedure of Management Boards of National Schools provides that while the cost of the insurance of the school premises is a charge on the trustees of the school and not on the school account, insurance against liability for injury to pupils and teachers and public liability is a matter for the board and the cost thereof may be charged to the school account, to which the capitation grants must, by regulation, be lodged.
Comment on this
Is the Minister saying that any school which has paid out of the school accounts sums of insurances which are required to be borne by the trustees is in breach of the regulations and, if this is the case, what does he propose to do about it to safeguard moneys voted by the Oireachtas for purposes other than those for which they are being spent?
Comment on this
The Minister is saying that, with the exception of the type of insurance which I specified in my reply, the other type of insurance is not chargeable to the account; the schools have been informed of this and have been directed not to use the funds in that regard.
Comment on this
Will the Minister take steps to recover from the trustees moneys which have been voted by the Oireachtas for one purpose and which have been expended by them for another.
Comment on this
Will the Minister further take steps, as are open to him under the regulations for national schools, to alter the term of office or perhaps even remove management boards which breach the regulations in this way?
