Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2016
216. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action he will take in relation to a school (details supply) which urgently requires funding for a new floor in the physical education hall; if the provision of an adequate and usable physical activity facilities is of the utmost importance in terms of ensuring the health of children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17251/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application from the school in question for refurbishment of their PE hall facilities.
I also wish to advise the Deputy that the works in question are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme, the purpose of which is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to facilitate carrying out small and medium scale capital works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings including PE halls. Under the scheme, responsibility for identifying and prioritising the most urgently required project rests with the school authority. It will be open to the school, if it so decides, to make an application under a future summer works scheme.
In the meantime, the school may use its minor works grant, which all primary schools received last November, to carry out the remedial works in full or on a phased basis as that grant permits if the school considers them to be a priority.
