Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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522. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the minor works grant, which was granted last year and which is crucial for many rural schools, will be allocated again in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40175/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Circular Letter 0062/2013 which was published as the Minor Works Grant for the school year 2013/2014 issued last November states "the grant will only be paid in future years as funding permits". The focus under the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 is on meeting the demand for additional school places. Consequently, there is no funding provided at this time in the 2014 capital allocation for the payment of a Minor Works Grant.

I am aware that whenever my Department is in a position to issue a Minor Works Grant (to all primary schools with permanent recognition) that it is welcomed by school communities and management bodies including the school in question as a valuable contribution towards the cost of maintaining school infrastructure.