Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome that the minor works grant will be paid this year. Many schools are waiting for funds and finding it very difficult to pay their bills and are existing on overdrafts. Unfortunately, no clarity was given to the schools throughout this year as to whether this very important grant would be paid to them. The first time they had any certainty that it would be paid was when the Minister, thankfully, made the decision in the past few days to pay it. As the Minister pointed out, it is worth €5,500 to any school, and €7,500 to the average school. We welcome the fact that it is being paid. As the Minister did not allocate money in her budget for it, she is taking it from the capital budget. Could she detail the implications of taking it from the capital budget? From where, exactly, will it come and what projects will miss out as a result of it? Last year, when this announcement was made, a summer works scheme of €40 million was also announced. Will there be no summer works scheme next year?

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