Govt to invest extra €20m in school-building programme

Education Minister Noel Dempsey has announced plans to invest €343m this year in a school-building programme, a €20m increase in the funding allocated in the Book of Estimates.

The money will be spent on building and renovating primary schools. Mr Dempsey has also announced plans to establish a €5m pilot scheme to help 20 small primary schools undertake major building and modernisation work on a devolved basis.

The minister said the scheme would give local management groups more autonomy and independence in providing facilities for parochial circumstances.