Written answers
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Department of Education and Skills
Minor Works Scheme
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works scheme funding will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29318/16]
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The normal practice is for the Minor Works Grant to be announced late in the year if funding permits. The issue of the Minor Works Grant 2016/2017 will be considered in the context of my Department's overall capital position later this year.
Mairead O Flynn
Posted on 8 Nov 2016 3:27 pm (Report this comment)
In my opinion this is an appalling situation. The Minor Works Grant should not be used in this manner---granting it one year and leaving it as a mystery item the following year. How can Primary schools hope to plan budgets with this type of ad hoc approach? 23% of funding goes straight back to Government anyway as schools cannot reclaim VAT. The €30 cut to each pupil capitation budget in emergency cuts some years ago was never restored despite rising costs. We still have not recovered financially from the withdrawal of Minor Works grant during the financial crisis. We had to hold a fundraising concert in Ballymore Eustace last month and raised €3,000 profit which will go straight back to Govt as it is the exact amount needed to pay the PSO levy for our electricity for this year. The Constitution holds that provision should be made for free primary education. Even allowing for the current economic uncertain state of our country we should be able to budget for minor repairs on a yearly basis.
Mairead O Flynn, Principal, Scoil Mhuire, Ballymore Eustace, Naas, Co. Kildare.