Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills following her announcement that she will give €65 million in minor works and ICT funding for schools, if she will explain the rationale for providing the same minor works grant to all schools when older buildings need increased funds to be maintained; if older school buildings will receive increased minor works funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30148/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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On behalf of Deputy McGuinness, I ask the Minister to explain, following her announcement that she will give €65 million in minor works and ICT funding for schools, the rationale for providing the same minor works grant to all schools when older buildings need increased funds to be maintained and whether older schools buildings will receive increased minor works funding.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting schools, I recently announced €65 million in minor works and ICT grants. This funding provides schools with flexibility to address small-scale infrastructure improvements and to invest in IT equipment and digital infrastructure.

The minor works grant is provided on a standard flat rate plus a per capita basis. This provides the most straightforward and consistent basis for provision of the grant funding to all eligible schools. This approach allows schools to plan and carry out essential maintenance and improvement works, based on their own identified priorities.

I recognise that some schools, particularly those in older buildings, may face more significant maintenance challenges. My Department is currently carrying out a national energy and condition survey of all schools. This is due for completion in 2026. The subsequent analysis of this data will help determine priorities going forward, including any potential future refinements to the minor works grant regime and provide a strengthened evidence base for an effective prioritisation of capital investment. This will form part of broader planning by my Department of capital investment in schools for the period 2026-30 in line with prioritised needs and reflecting, as appropriate, wider Government priorities, informed by NDP allocations once they are known.

In the interim, schools can engage with my Department through the relevant application-based capital schemes. I recently announced a new climate action summer works scheme and the application process for this scheme is currently open for all schools, with a closing date for receipt of applications of 30 June. I would say to schools if they are looking to apply to get it in by 30 June. The emergency works scheme also remains available as required to address very urgent issues.

A review is happening which will give a really good sense of the state our school buildings are in. We committed to a minor works grant in the programme for Government. If we can change, adapt or amend it so that the schools which need more funding through that grant get it, we will be able to do that once we have that information. However, it will be next year before we have all that information.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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There was very significant disappointment, which I raised in a Topical Issue with the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, on the day of the announcement that the overall funding for the ICT and minor works grants were down from €79 million last year to €65 million this year. All that related to the ICT funding. All this fits into the wider piece of funding for schools. There is a real issue around the increasing costs and the flatline of the overall capitation in particular. This morning the CPSMA said that in the last five years running costs have increased in the region of 70% but capitation funding is at 2008 levels. It has had unprecedented numbers of calls from schools in financial difficulty. This is a major concern. Yesterday, the INTO’s pre-budget submission had an ask of an additional €75 per child in capitation funding.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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To clarify on ICT, we gave a commitment as part of the overall strategy that we would provide €200 million to schools over the lifetime of the strategy. What had been provided to date was two amounts of €50 million but they were not exactly every year so they were spaced out. I want to make sure that every year schools get the grant, that they know they are getting it and how much. The €35 million is for this year. I want to make sure there is a further €35 million next year and the following year. Schools are telling me that they want to know they are getting it and how much they are getting. It is not a reduction and I want to make that clear to schools. The intention is very much that it be the same next year as opposed to the end of next year or into the year after.

I appreciate that schools are under pressure and that there are challenges for schools with increased costs as there are with any businesses, homes or any other body or organisation. That is why there have been increases in the budget in the last number of years. The capitation that was announced in the last week for the upcoming September has meant it has gone from €200 to €224 per student. I appreciate that is not what people are looking for and they want more. It is very much my intention, as set out in the programme for Government, to increase that even further in the upcoming budget negotiations. Obviously that has to be worked through.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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It is absolutely needed. This morning the CPSMA outlined results of its survey with an increase in insurance costs of one third, an increase in utility costs of 50%, an increase in cleaning costs of in excess of 80%. It is also clear the funding proposed for this year’s budget will not match the increasing costs that schools face. There is an ask for a comprehensive assessment. I welcome the piece on energy costs but the same is needed for the overall running costs of schools. There is an ask from the CPSMA, and others I am sure, for an assessment of the real life running costs of schools. They argue that the supports being provided by the Government do not match those costs. The real impacts are on the school communities which cannot go to the pockets of their parents. That has a real impact on educational disadvantage for those disadvantaged communities.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I want to stress that the Department is there and available to engage with schools. While we have seen an increase in the number of people coming to the FFSU it is not to the level that we are hearing more broadly. I encourage schools which may be in difficulty and having a challenging time ahead with their finances to engage with the Department.

The DEIS grants and status mean that students and schools get an increased rate for various things and increased supports but I appreciate that is often not enough. The commitment in the programme for Government is very clear. We will continue to increase capitation. In this month alone, the level for primary school will increase to €224 and will also increase for post-primary students to €386. That is an increase in primary alone of €30 million in the last year. My intention is to make sure in the years ahead we continue to increase that capitation. We also need to find ways in which we can save money for schools. For the 28 schools announced this week where over €80 million will be spent on retrofitting, that will help reduce their overall energy costs. That is why it is really important. The summer works scheme is focussing solely on environment and climate because that helps bring down the bills. We need to support schools in looking at insurance and other costs. That is something I am looking at currently.