Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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66. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be made available to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry to construct a car park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46175/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application from the school in question for the works referred to.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the works indicated are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme (SWS). The SWS is designed to allow schools, on a devolved funding basis, to carry out necessary improvement and refurbishment works that will upgrade existing school facilities. Under the 2016-2017 scheme almost €80 million has been approved to date, in respect of over 640 school projects in categories 1 - 6.

The recent launch of Project Ireland 2040 included an announcement of a major package of investment in education for the next decade with the school building budget increasing by 70%.

This investment will provide for the continued increase in demographics while also allowing for a greater focus on refurbishment and upgrading of existing school stock. In regard to the SWS, the remaining categories of project from the 2016-2017 scheme will be processed with a new SWS opening for applications in early 2019 for projects for summer 2020 onwards.