A minimum of €1.869 million will be given to Galway Primary Schools in the coming weeks under the Minor Works Grant Scheme.
Minister for Education Richard Bruton has confirmed that all 235 primary schools in Galway will receive funding.
Fine Gael TD for Galway West & Mayo South explained that the grants are worth a base €5,500 for each school with an additional €18.50 per pupil enrolled and a higher rate of €74 per pupil with special educational needs.
“Under the Scheme schools can put the funding to use for improvements to school buildings and grounds, the purchase of furniture, IT equipment and other equipment,” he said.
“Based on the enrolment figures for the last full academic year (2016/17) from the Department of Education the Minor Works Scheme represents a minimum investment of €1,869,533.50 in Galway’s primary schools.”
The allocation per pupil at mainstream schools will be higher depending on the number of special needs pupils attending the school as the Department pays a higher rate per special needs pupil on account of their additional educational needs.
“I know this allocation will be warmly welcomed by the many teachers and principals who have contacted me on this Scheme in recent months and I am pleased to note that Minister Bruton is working to provide greater certainty on the availability of the Minor Works Scheme each year as part of the Department of Education’s long term plans and also the Capital Investment Plan,” the Galway West TD added.
“Overall the Minor Grants Scheme represents as €28.8 million investment in our primary schools across the country and shows that Fine Gael in Government is committed to investing the benefits of our country’s economic recovery in vital services such as education.”
