Government ‘used school funding as election ploy’

THE Government was yesterday accused of using primary schools to buy votes.

Department of Education figures revealed huge spending increases on building projects in the two years up to the last General Election, but in the year after the election, the pattern was reversed with figures falling in most counties.

The Department of Education paid out €148 million on primary school capital projects in 2002 more than double the amount invested two years earlier. The spend dropped to less than €128m in 2003, the year after the general election. Most counties saw the amount spent on schools rise dramatically in the election year and 2001, but fell back significantly again the following year.