Jobs Created As School Buildings Approved

The Irish Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has announced a €41.2m Summer building works scheme. he said that 453 primary and post-primary schools were listed as successful applicants.

"The Government has committed in its Programme for Government to advancing with shovel-ready projects as quickly as possible and this investment in our schools will create much-needed jobs in the construction sector.

"The capacity of schools to take responsibility for delivering small and medium-scale projects is a key component of the Summer Works Scheme and I'm pleased to be in a position to make funding available this year," he said.

Speaking about the scheme, Minister Quinn said: "The works in question cover projects in school buildings such as gas, electrical and mechanical works.These works will be carried out in these schools over the summer months, when the pupils are on holidays, so the disruption to schooling will be kept to a minimum.

"I am confident that school authorities will be able to achieve best value for money on prices for jobs, given the competitive construction market at present and I call on schools to ensure that they maximise the benefit to their schools of the works sanctioned," he concluded.

(GK/BMcC)