Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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155. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of additional capital allocation of €75 million for primary and post-primary schools to carry out necessary reconfiguration works to support the reopening of schools in late August 2020 that has been allocated and spent to date; if all schools received their grants for 2020 in view of the fact many schools also cover cleaning costs using ancillary services grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26809/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As part of Project Ireland 2040 the Minor Works Grant (MWG) is paid to primary schools in either December or January of each school year. This year, due to the exceptional circumstances arising from COVID-19, €29m was paid under the Minor Works Grant to primary schools in the free scheme in July 2020.

Under the July Stimulus Programme additional funding of €75m was allocated to cover an enhanced Minor Works Grant at Primary and a once off Minor Works Grant at Post-Primary schools. €72m of which is paid directly to the school. Of this €72m, there is currently €71m of these grants issued to schools. This equates to 98.6% funding provided to 3920 schools.

€3m of this additional funding was retained, as a reserve fund by the Department, to assist individual schools that require greater levels of re-configuration works. Applications are being dealt with on a case by case basis by the Department. 55 applications have been received from schools in respect of exceptional needs and to date 39 schools have been allocated additional funding in excess of €2m. A number of application are still under consideration.”