Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of under funding of schools, she will reinstate the summer works scheme to ensure that schools can afford to pay for vital repair and maintenance. [6770/08]

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. With so many smaller 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 the building programme this year.

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.