Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when she expects the minor works grant and the ICT grant payments to be made to applicant schools; the measures she is taking to ensure that the grants are paid well in advance of the upcoming school year; if she is considering any changes to the payment process for these grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26282/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The minor works grant and ICT grant form part of a range of grants and supports provided to schools.

The Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The minor works grant is provided to all primary and special schools to enable them undertake small-scale minor maintenance and improvement works on a devolved basis.

Under Project Ireland 2040, a commitment was given that the Minor Works Grant would be paid in either December or January of the school year to all primary schools, including special schools. In recent years my department’s approach has been to pay the Minor Works Grant to schools in advance of the start of the following school year in order to facilitate a better lead in period for schools to plan any maintenance or minor works during the summer period.

Between 2020 and 2024 in excess of €274 million in Minor Works Grants and Enhanced Minor Works Grants has been allocated to schools. This includes the payment of Minor Works Grants totalling almost €30 million paid in April 2024 to primary schools and special schools for the current school year 2024/2025.

Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs.

To date, €310 million has issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in ICT grant funding, under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 and the current Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027. This funding has enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment.

The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published in 2022 and is underpinned by funding of €200m over the course of the strategy to support its implementation, which was committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The funding allocation model is provided for in the National Development Plan and commits the funding to issue over the period of the NDP, applied by the Department for the Digital Strategy duration (to 2027 for the current strategy).

The most recent tranche of funding of €50 million issued to all recognised primary, special schools and post-primary schools in April 2024. This funding issued directly to schools, as they are best placed to determine the needs of their own students and have autonomy to do so, within the criteria applying to this funding.

The department's Planning & Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2025 in the context of its available funding. The timeline for the payment of the next tranche of minor works and ICT funding will be confirmed in due course.