Fourteen Galway East schools are to receive grants from the Department of Education under the €30 million Summer Works scheme.
The scheme is focussed on specialist improvements with a particular emphasis on Climate Action.
Galway East TD and Minister for Rural Affairs Seán Canney said: “These awards will make a significant difference to the schools involved. Climate Action is a priority for all generations so it is entirely appropriate that schools show us the way and become champions for change.
” There are three priorities – life safety systems such as fire alarms and detection and emergency lighting; new surfaces for play areas and car parks; and planning for the installation of charging points for electric vehicles.
“Any schools improving play areas and car parking will have to identify a charging point for electric vehicles and include ducting for cables to avoid any future need to dig up car parks.”
The Galway East schools who will be receiving Summer Works awards will be Kilcooley National School, Loughrea, Kilcoona National School, Killeen National School, Ballyshrule, Portumna, St Joseph’s National School, Woodford, Kilrickle National School, Coolarne National School, Tynagh National School, Kiltartan National School, Coole, Castlehackett National School, Garrafrauns Central School, St Oliver Plunkett’s National School, Newcastle, Athenry, Newtown National School, Abbeyknockmoy, Presentation College, Headford and St Jarlath’s College, Tuam.
Nationally, the Summer Works Scheme 2020 will include 324 primary schools and 81 post-primary schools. The work will be carried out mainly over the summer months to minimise disruption to students, teachers and other staff.
Schools are now required to report their energy use annually online through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

Note to Editors
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.
The scheme is additional to other capital funding schemes that are operated by the Department
of Education and Skills such as the additional accommodation scheme, Emergency Works
scheme i.e. 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 March 2019
and is being applied on a multi-annual basis.
The Summer Works grants follow on from Minor Works grants of €29 million that were announced two weeks ago, which work out at €6,425 for a 50-pupil school and more than
€11,000 for a school with 300 pupils.”
Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive approximately €12 billion between
2018 and 2027. This includes €8.8 billion for the schools sector.

For more information, contact Minister Canney on 086-2513639
November 25 2019