Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome last week's announcement by the Minister for Education and Skills that schools will be paid the minor works grant. I raised this matter shortly after the budget. Schools deserve to know at the start of the year what their grants will be. It is very difficult for boards of management and school principals to plan the year ahead when they do not know what funding they will get. That is very unfair. As Members will be aware, the minor works grant is a vital piece of machinery for schools. They depend on it for ongoing maintenance and the upkeep of ICT equipment. Difficulties can arise when boards of management and principals do not know what funding they will get. Many schools fell into disrepair during the many years for which minor works grant scheme was suspended. I am delighted that the scheme has been reinstated, but it leaves a lot of work to be done. We depend on the volunteers who give up their time without reward to sit on boards of management for the benefit of the community. The least they deserve is a proper schools programme that is funded at the start of the year so that schools can plan according to the works that need to be done.