Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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184. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the grant aid available for primary schools to develop play areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20787/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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It is open to the school to make an application under the Summer Works Scheme. The purpose of the Summer Works Scheme is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works such as external environment projects, which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school.

As part of it’s planning for 2023 and beyond, my Department's officials are working on the arrangements for the next phases of the summer works programme. It is envisaged at this stage that, a new Multi-Annual Summer Works Scheme with a focus on climate action and energy conservation will be opened for new applications later in 2023 for delivery of projects on a phased basis from 2024 onwards. Schools will be notified of the details of the Summer Works Scheme in due course.