Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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260. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will clarify the situation regarding the minor works grant for schools in the 2023 calendar year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2548/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The funding provides good flexibility at local level to assist schools to manage and undertake works that support the operation of the school.

I can confirm to the Deputy that the Minor Works Grant for primary schools for the current school year (2022-2023) was paid in December 2021 - in order to give schools a good lead in period.

The timeline for the payment of the Minor Works Grant, which involves expenditure of circa €30m, is currently being assessed by my Department having regard to the overall availability of financial resources and further clarity will be provided later in January

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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261. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will clarify the situation regarding the payment of the next tranche of the Covid cleaning grant to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2549/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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More than €317 million of additional Covid-19 Capitation grant funding was made available to recognised primary and post primary schools to provide for the implementation of infection prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID -19 for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 school years. A further €45 million has been provided to cater for ongoing enhanced cleaning, PPE and hand hygiene for Term 1 of the 2022/23 school year. This represents a total of €362.7 million to date.

As the Deputy is aware, the continued payment of Covid-19 capitation grants is determined by the prevailing public health advice at the time.

Staff in my Department are currently engaging with colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the Covid-19 Capitation grants for Term 2 of the 2022/2023 school year. Further details will be provided as soon as soon as possible.