Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what plans are in place to ensure school caretakers will be afforded the opportunity to avail of a similar deal as school secretaries; when an update will be provided on this work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8327/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Caretakers are valued and vital members of the school system. The majority of primary and post-primary schools receive assistance to provide for caretaker services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a caretaker under these grant schemes to support those functions, those staff members are employees of the individual schools and as such the responsibility for the terms and conditions of employment as well as rates of pay currently rests with the school.

The February 2022 agreement for revised salary and annual leave entitlements for grant funded school secretaries is now fully operational, and the lessons learned from that process will form a key element in negotiating and implementing a similar package for grant funded school caretakers.

At present work is ongoing in my Department to develop a comprehensive survey which will enable my officials to confirm their understanding of the current working patterns as well as the terms and conditions of work for school caretakers. In parallel with this, officials from the Department and Fórsa are currently in communication on this important issue and anticipate that a meeting will be scheduled in the near future to progress the matter.