Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to reintroduce the minor works scheme in view of the fact that it has been an essential support for schools to maintain and improve school accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44759/14]

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 in the amount of €28m, states "the grant will only be paid in future years as funding permits". At this time there is no funding available within my Department's 2014 financial allocation for the payment of the 2014/2015 Minor Works Grant.

On the announcement of the Medium Term Education Capital Investment Framework 2012-2016 on 10 November 2011 the priority identified was to deliver major school projects and smaller projects devolved to schools to meet demographic demands. It was signalled at that time that given the need to focus on meeting the demand for additional school places that it was unlikely that funding would be available for a minor works grant in the coming years.

As the annual increase in student numbers is projected to continue at primary level until 2018 and at post-primary until 2025, I am not in a position to re-introduce the Minor Works Grant on an annual basis.