The Minister for Education, Mr Martin, yesterday unveiled an investment package of £5.7 million to provide caretaking and secretarial services to more than 650 primary schools, as well as infant and science grants to all primary schools. According to Mr Martin, schools with enrolments ranging from 100 to 194 pupils will qualify for a share of the £5.7 million, allowing them to hire secretaries and caretakers for the first time. "This will greatly assist many principals in ensuring the efficient and effective running and maintenance of their schools and responds to a long held long-held demand," said Mr Martin. He said the decision to provide caretakers and secretaries long preceded the decision by the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, to cut back on Community Employment Schemes, which provide many caretaking staff to schools.
Mr Martin said the recruitment of 450 new teachers and the availability of a further 150 because of the declining population would result in the lowest pupil teacher ratio of 21.5 to 1.