1330 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science if the payments made to small schools for the hiring of persons (details supplied) will at least reach the current FÁS workers payment rather than the 127 per pupil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2468/02]

My Department provides funding towards ancillary services in schools in the form of assistance to schools towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services. In line with a PPF commitment to mainstream certain essential services provided under community employment schemes, I recently secured the transfer of 58,407,951 per annum to my Department on a phased basis between 2001 and 2003, as the FÁS school-based CE schemes come to an end. The availability of this funding has enabled me to make significant progress in relation to the provision of secretarial and caretaking services to schools by putting in place an equitable system of funding for ancillary services throughout the free education school system. My Department received a total of 40,631,618 for the 2001-02 school year.