John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 1552: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if plans are in place to increase funding for schools, to specifically improve security measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1617/07]

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 1636: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will immediately approve funding specially for the improvement of security in large schools or schools in urban areas to combat this large and growing problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2001/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1552 and 1636 together.

I appreciate the concerns of school communities regarding vandalism of school property and security. Individual school authorities are responsible in the first instance for health and safety issues, including making adequate security arrangements, at schools. School authorities should liaise with their local Gardai who are best placed to provide practical advice and support and to make recommendations on how best to mitigate the potential risk to the school.

Primary school authorities may use their minor works grant in conjunction with any insurance policy payments to deal with urgent issues relating to security matters. In November last I increased funding for the minor works grant by 44% on the previous year and around €27m was paid out to primary schools throughout the country to enable thousands of small scale works to be completed without the need to interact with my Department.

Other avenues for grant-aid from my Department to provide improved security measures include the Summer Works Scheme and Emergency Works Grants. With regard to the Summer Works Scheme, I recently announced that 1179 projects at close to 1000 schools, both primary and post-primary, will be funded this year at a total cost of just under €120m.

In 2007, €305 million will be spent on projects in primary schools, while €229 million is being allocated to schools in the post primary sector. Since 1997 a total of €3 billion has been invested in school buildings and this has delivered over 7,800 school building projects. This further investment of €534m will build on these achievements and will focus in particular on the provision of school accommodation in areas where the population is growing at a rapid rate.