John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 463: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will fund the provision of a water filter for the main water supply to a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13413/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school referred to by the Deputy refers does not have an application with my Department's planning section for funding for the provision of a water filter for the main water supply to the school. In accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, it is the responsibility of school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools. Schools are obliged to identify possible hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and to put appropriate safeguards in place.

Provision is built into the school building programme to enable schools address urgent health and safety problems. Primary schools are given an annual allocation, currently amounting to €3,809 plus €12.70 per pupil, under the grant scheme for minor works which can be used entirely at the discretion of school management to address basic health and safety issues relating to school infrastructure.

In addition, the summer works scheme was introduced during 2004 which provided capital grants for improvement works at primary and post-primary schools. A total of 457 schools were approved for funding under this scheme in 2004. Over 580 schools have been approved for funding under the 2005 summer works scheme. My Department also sets aside a contingency sum each year to deal with emergency works in primary and post-primary schools, including health and safety works.