Schools Refurbishment

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 June 2016

Thursday, 23 June 2016

Questions (133, 138)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

133. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills to allocate funds to repair a school playground (details supplied) in County Kildare, which has been identified for repair since 2012; if he is aware that funding for such repairs was previously allocated but then withdrawn; if he is further aware that the condition of the playground area has deteriorated significantly to date, representing a serious safety risk to the children and staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17815/16]

Catherine Murphy

Question:

138. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the balance of the summer works programme for schools will be announced; if funding for a school (details supplied) which has been applied for several times and is a risk to children due to its current condition will be considered in this context; the categories that will be funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17898/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 138 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that under the Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017), valid applications from schools in respect of Categories 3 to 10, that were not reached within the funding made available in 2016, will, subject to the overall availability of funding, qualify to be assessed under future rounds of the Scheme. If this arises, the terms and conditions of the scheme as outlined in Circular Letter (0055/2015), which may be accessed on my Department's website, will continue to apply when allocating funding to such projects. The application from the school referred to by the Deputy, is available to be considered in this context.

In the meantime, the school may use its minor works grant, which all primary schools received last November, to carry out works in full or on a phased basis as that grant permits, if the school considers them to be a priority.