Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 319: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the unsatisfactory accommodation for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 9; the reason this school is without running hot water; if this is standard practice in schools; and the action she will take to address this problem. [7525/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is not aware that the school in question does not have running water. Primary school authorities may use their annual minor works grant to deal with smaller scale works. 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. The school management should make contact with the Modernisation and Policy Section of my Department's Planning and Building Unit in the matter.