Financial Management in Community and Comprehensive Schools

The Board of Management is responsible for the financial administration of the school.

Section 18 of the Education Act 1998 states that

“the board shall keep all proper and usual accounts and records of all monies received by it or expenditure of such monies incurred by it and shall ensure that in such year all such accounts are properly audited or certified in accordance with best accounting practice; accounts kept in pursuance of this section shall be made available by the school concerned for inspection by the Minister and by parents of students in the school, in so far as those accounts relate to monies provided in accordance with section 12.”

The Board of Management is responsible for the governance and direction of the school, the use of school resources and the management of budgetary allocations made to the school by the Minister. To discharge its duty in this regard, the Board should ensure that there is an adequate system of control, delegation and accountability in place to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of school services and school administration. While the Board may delegate many of its responsibilities to the Principal and in some circumstances to sub committees of the Board, it must remain aware of its responsibilities and of its accountability to the Minister. (S 2.1 Community and Comprehensive Schools Governance Manual)

The Financial Support Services Unit

In accordance with DES Circulars 60/2017 and 02/2018, the FSSU supports boards of management in the Community & Comprehensive, Primary and Voluntary Secondary School sectors.

The FSSU supports boards of management in complying with the provisions of the Education Act 1998 in terms of transparency, accountability, and financial responsibility for State and other funding.

The FSSU also supports boards of management in meeting their compliance requirements to other regulatory and statutory bodies. The FSSU is fully funded by the Department of Education and is hosted by the Secretariat of Secondary Schools Ltd.

The FSSU website can be accessed here.

A Board of Management Financial Management in Community and Comprehensive Schools Training Manual is available from the FSSU and can be accessed here