Funding boost for Southside schools

SCHOOLS across the Southside are in for a share of a whopping €40 million funding boost this year, following an announcement by the Department of Education.

In a major new year bonus for schools across the country, the Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh, revealed that the Summer Works projects in 2019 will see major improvements in primary and post-primary schools across the country.

“I am delighted to be able to make such a substantial amount of money available to benefit 307 schools nationwide,” Minister McHugh said.
“This €40 million investment secures money for schools to upgrade windows, meet curricular requirements and make structural improvements to buildings.

“The work will be carried out in schools mainly over the summer months, so the disruption to students, teachers and other staff will be kept to a minimum.

“We have also made sure that schools are getting the notification earlier to try to give principals and boards of management a better lead in time to plan and then deliver their summer works.”
Some 234 of the schools which will benefit from this round of funding are primary schools, while 73 are post-primary schools.

On the Southside, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, revealed that St Brigid’s National School, Merville Road in Stillorgan would be one of the 307 schools nationwide that will receive funding.

 “I am delighted that my ministerial colleague, Education Minister Joe McHugh, has been able to make such a substantial amount of money available to benefit so many schools across the country,” the minister said. 

“The work at St Brigid’s in Stillorgan will involve upgrading the school’s windows. It will be carried out over the summer months, so the disruption to students, teachers and other staff will be kept to a minimum.

“We have also made sure that schools are getting the notification earlier to try to give principals and boards of management a better lead in time to plan and deliver their summer works,” she added.

Projects carried out under the 2019 Summer Works Scheme relate to applications submitted by schools in Categories 7, 8 and 9 under the multi-annual scheme announced in 2015.

The remaining 347 applications under Category 10, which relates to external works such as upgrade and resurfacing of yards and car parking, have an estimated costing of more than €30 million. 

The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is designed to allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings.

This scheme is addition to other capital funding schemes that are operated by the Department of Education such as the additional accommodation scheme, Emergency Works scheme, for projects of such urgency that they would prevent some or all of the school from opening, and Minor Works schemes.

The current SWS was announced in late 2015 and is being applied on a multi-annual basis.
In Dublin South Central no fewer than 10 schools will undergo significant improvement works next summer under the programme.
Deputy Catherine Byrne (FG)  said six primary and four post-primary schools across this part of the Southside will benefit.

The local schools that will receive this much needed funding for improvement works next year include such well-attended primary schools as St Catherine’s NS, Donore Avenue; St Cillian’s NS, Bluebell; Loreto Junior NS, Crumlin Road; Assumption Senior Girls School, Walkinstown; Assumption Junior School, Walkinstown and Scoil Eoin, Armagh Road, Crumlin.

The post primary schools include Loreto College, Crumlin; Assumption Secondary School, Walkinstown; CBS James's Street, and St Dominic's College, Ballyfermot.
“It is great that this announcement is being made now in advance of next year, to give schools more time to prepare for the planned works,” Deputy Byrne said.

“Given the scale of the projects involved, further detailed analysis of these applications is required with a view to enabling approved applications to proceed in 2020.”

In addition, Minister McHugh has also announced a further round of the Summer Works Scheme, which will open for applications in early 2019 for projects to be delivered from summer 2020.

“Today’s announcement confirms the Government’s continuing prioritisation of capital funding for school buildings which will enhance the learning and working environment for pupils and teachers,” he added. “This year, almost €540 million will be invested in school building infrastructure under the school building and modernisation programme.”

The minister urged principals and boards of management to ensure that they get the maximum benefit for their schools.