Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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529. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding to make a school yard safe in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7901/15]

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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555. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine an application under the emergency works scheme in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry for essential works to upgrade the school yard, which is unsafe and hazardous, as due to excessive deterioration the area is disintegrating, cracking and crumbling and in view of the fact this is the third submission in recent years; if she will ensure that this is prioritised and approved in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8163/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 529 and 555 together.

As the Deputies may be aware, applications have been made by the school, in question, for funding for playground works under both the 2014 Summer Works scheme and also under the Emergency Works Scheme. The works referred to by the Deputy are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme, the purpose of which is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to facilitate schools carrying out small and medium scale building works that will improve and upgrade existing school facilities.

As the Deputies will also be aware, spending of more than €70 million was approved for the 2014 Summer Works Scheme to allow over 770 schools undertake improvement works. This allowed for the funding of applications received under categories 1-6. Schools which had applied under categories 7-10, including the school referred to by the Deputies, were advised that their applications would be retained for prioritisation if funding for further summer works projects could be secured for 2015.

I am currently considering the feasibility of making further funding available to facilitate consideration of those applications which were received under categories 7-10 under the 2014 Summer Works Scheme.