Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Jun 1990

Vol. 399 No. 8

Written Answers. - School Maintenance.

Tomás MacGiolla

Ceist:

70 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the recent statement made by the chairman of the Association of Management of Catholic Secondary Schools, that managers could not afford to carry out necessary repairs and maintenance to many older secondary school buildings and that the fabric of the buildings was deteriorating as a result; if she intends to fill the vacant posts of caretakers to carry out cleaning and general maintenance; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Mrs. O'Rourke)

Per capita grants paid to secondary schools in the free post-primary education scheme are provided towards the general running costs, including maintenance, of the schools. I am pleased to say that it was possible to increase the rate of per capita grant to such schools by £10 with effect from 1 January 1990. Those schools are privately owned and managed and the cleaning and general maintenance are matters to be arranged by the authorities of the individual schools.

Where major works of maintenance and/or repair are required, it is open to school managers to seek capital grants from the Department towards the cost of remedying defects.