merrion street

The Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton T.D., today announced that the Minor Works Grant will be paid to all primary schools throughout the country next week.

All primary schools will receive a flat rate Minor Works Grant of €5,500 plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil attending a special school or special class. The grant is worth €6,425 for a 50 pupil school and over €11,000 for a 300 pupil school.

Schools can use the grant for a variety of school works, including improvements to school buildings and grounds, improvement or replacement of mechanical and electrical services, the purchase of standard furniture and physical education equipment, the purchase of floor coverings and window blinds, and the purchase of IT related equipment.

Minister Bruton said:

“I am pleased to announce that a 2017/2018 Minor Works Grant will issue to primary schools throughout the country next week. I am aware of the importance of the Minor Works Grant to schools. For this reason, I have prioritised its issue before the end of this year, notwithstanding the other significant demands on resources at this time.

“The demographic pressures at both primary and post-primary level mean that our school building programme must continue to focus on delivering additional school places. In 2017, we have successfully delivered nearly 19,000 permanent school places, of which more than 13,000 are additional places, with the completion of 46 major school building projects.

“Looking ahead to 2018, the building programme will continue to be challenged to ensure the availability of a school place for every child. In these circumstances, it will be late next year or January 2019 before we are in a position to determine the prospects of a 2018/2019 Minor Works Grant.

“I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the excellent work done by Boards of Management and school principals in using the Minor Works Grant effectively to improve school infrastructure and upgrade the furniture and equipment available for teaching and learning.”

It is understood that primary schools wish to have more certainty with regard to the availability of the Minor Works Grant on an annual basis. This is an issue that will be reviewed in the context of the Department’s long term infrastructural planning and the level of resources available under the Government’s 10 Year Public Capital Investment Plan, which is currently under development.

Notes to editor

Circular Letter 0062/2013 which is available on the Department’s website gives full details on the grant scheme for Minor Works.

The number of primary schools receiving the minor works grant are listed by county below.