Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will be opening the minor works scheme and the summer works schemes for applications for primary and secondary schools for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8484/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I refer the Deputy to my announcement on 7th November 2013 of an additional €68 million for school improvement works. This comprises a once-off payment of over €28 million to primary schools as part of the Minor Works Scheme and a further €40 million to facilitate the re-introduction of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) for 2014. The Minor Works Grant has since issued to the schools.

Funding from the Schemes will allow eligible schools to carry out small and medium scale building works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings.

Commensurate with the level of funding available for the SWS, applications are currently being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. The Circular also indicated that in the event that it is not possible to progress all approved projects under SWS 2014 due to funding constraints, that applications will be retained for consideration under any future rounds of the Scheme.

The Circular Letter (59/2013) is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to publish a list of successful applicants in early 2014.