The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. has today announced €29 million in grants for primary schools for Minor Works.

The money will be paid to all primary schools in the first half of December as part of the investment in education under Project Ireland 2040.

Minister McHugh said: “I’m acutely aware that principals need sufficient time for planning to make use of Government funding. With that in mind, I have brought forward the announcement of this valuable €29 million fund and I am also making sure that the money will be paid in early December.”

Under the Minor Works programme every primary school in the country receives a flat rate grant worth €5,500 with an additional €18.50 for every pupil in mainstream class and €74 for every child with special needs who is attending a special school or special class.

The Minor Works grant works out at €6,425 for a 50 pupil school and more than €11,000 for a school with 300 pupils.

The payment of the grants follows a commitment under Project Ireland 2040 that all primary schools would receive the Minor Works funding in either December or January of the relevant school year.

While schools have discretion on how to use the Minor Works grants for small scale works on buildings and facilities, the Department offers a number of options on how to put the money to good use – improve the physical infrastructure of the school; upgrade or replace mechanical and electrical services such as heating or lighting; buy standard furniture and physical education equipment; new floor coverings and window blinds; or IT-related equipment.

Schools are also being advised of the importance of using the grant to address any required fire safety prevention works.

Minister McHugh said: “I am delighted to announce that the Minor Works Grant for the 2019/20 school year will issue to primary schools throughout the country in December. I know full well how important the Minor Works grant for primary schools is and how important it is for principals to have time to plan and assess what their schools need.”

Source: education.ie

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