Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way in which the ten categories of projects will be funded to keep the affected school buildings, facilities and staff and pupil safety maintained without the summer works scheme; her views on the waste of time and money for the 2008 applications made by the schools in September 2007; if the dust extraction projects will be continued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4631/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Summer Works Scheme was introduced in 2004. Since then, over 3,000 projects costing in excess of €300 million have been completed. Considerable extra investment has been provided in the Budget to increase funding for school buildings to almost €600 million next year. With so many small projects having been completed over the past few years, I intend to focus on delivering as many large projects as possible in 2008. There will not, therefore, be a new Summer Works Scheme as part of our building programme this year.

Individual school authorities are responsible in the first instance for health and safety issues relating to schools. Primary school authorities may use their annual minor works grant to deal with such issues. In November 2006 I increased funding for the minor works grant by 44% on the previous year. Around €27m was paid out to primary schools throughout the country late last year to enable thousands of small scale works to be completed without the need to interact with my Department. Another avenue to claim grant-aid from my Department is the Emergency Works Fund. Grants from this fund are available for very urgent unforeseen works, primarily of a major health and safety nature, to schools that are in most need of resources for capital works. Funding will continue to be available for dust extraction projects in 2008.