Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2004
318 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will award aid up front and the provision of additional furniture and equipment for the new north Kildare Educate Together School at Ballymakealy, Celbridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6078/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department approved grant aid of €15,638 for furniture in January 2004 for North Kildare Educate Together national school. All relatively new previously grant aided furniture and equipment provided by my Department was required to be transferred to the new building and the provision for an additional €6,500 set up grant for the autistic unit is also available for draw down by the school authority. It is not the policy of my Department to encourage retrospective funding for works of a capital nature. All works of a capital nature requiring capital investment from my Department should be approved in the first instance by my Department's planning unit, thus ensuring that financial pressure is not placed upon the parents or boards of management of schools.
