Kildare South Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon has today (Thursday) welcomed the announcement that €70m is being made available for school improvements. €28m is being made available as a one off payment under the Minor Works Grant Scheme for primary schools and a further €40m will be available for a new Summer Works Scheme in 2014.
“I am very aware from dealing with many schools and boards of management in Kildare South that this announcement will be hugely welcomed. With budget reductions in recent years, school management and principals have had to try to do more with less and that has meant that many smaller jobs are not reached on.”
“The Minor Works Grant will be paid to primary schools in the coming weeks and will enable schools to undertake small scale repair works to improve school infrastructure without the need to interact with the Department.
Funding from the Summer Works Scheme will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works such as gas, electrical and mechanical works, roof and window upgrades, structural improvements; works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings.
It is up to schools to identify the most urgently required projects to be funded from the Summer Works Scheme. Each school can apply for one small scale project and will be responsible for the completion of those works.
“ I am delighted that at a time of such budgetary constraints, the Minister has been able to find this funding for schools, which should also provide employment in many local communities. Coming after a budget which maintained the pupil teacher ratio, it highlights this Governments commitment to education and school children even when resources are limited.”