Minister Helen McEntee announces €65 million in minor works and ICT funding for schools
- Published on: 29 May 2025
- Last updated on: 30 May 2025
Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee today (29 May 2025) announced a €65 million investment in schools to support digital learning and fund minor building works.
€35 million in funding for ICT infrastructure will issue shortly to all recognised special, primary and post-primary schools, while €30 million in minor works funding will be provided to primary and special schools to use for maintenance and small-scale improvements to schools.
Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee said:
"I am delighted to announce that €65 million will be invested in our schools, both to help them with maintenance and improvements, as well as helping schools to embed ICT into their teaching, learning and assessments.
“With the world around us changing rapidly, it is vital that schools can instil students with the skills they need to reach their full potential in our modern society. This ICT funding will empower schools to harness the opportunities that technology presents, and to support children and young people to become competent, critically engaged learners.
“Furthermore, minor works payments are vital in supporting our primary and special schools. I am pleased to announce €30 million in funding that will allow these school communities to address issues at local level and support their operation for the upcoming school year.
“Each school is different, so individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their own maintenance needs. This lead-in period ahead of the new school year will give schools time to consider their plans and priorities as to how to best use this funding for their own needs.
“Maintaining school buildings is vitally important in promoting health and safety, in providing a welcoming learning environment, and in protecting the significant levels of public funding being invested in new and upgraded school infrastructure.
“Both the Minor Works and ICT funding will support schools both to keep their buildings safe and welcoming places for students, but also in ensuring that students are learning the skills they need in our schools to thrive in today’s world.”
Notes
ICT funding
The €35 million in ICT grant funding represents the third tranche of ICT funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 and builds on the €210 million already allocated under the previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment and the €100 million that has issued to date under the current strategy.
In the case of a primary school the Digital Strategy ICT grant will consist of a €2,000 basic grant plus €25.33 per mainstream pupil, €30.40 per pupil with special educational needs attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school, and €27.86 per pupil in DEIS schools.
For example, a 100 pupil-primary school will receive €4,533 and a 500 pupil-school will receive €14,665.
In the case of a post-primary school this will consist of a €2,000 basic grant plus €30.40 per mainstream student and €33.44 per student in DEIS schools.
A 500 student-school would receive €17,200 and a 1,000 student-school would receive €32,400.
Further notes and broad information as to what the funding can support
Schools to implement the requirement for schools to have a digital learning platform in place.
To provide an additional top-up for DEIS schools to meet additional challenges to support their learners
There have been a number of government strategies and initiatives over the last two decades to encourage and promote the effective use of digital technologies in teaching and learning. The Department of Education’s policy in this area is reflected in the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 published in 2022, which builds on progress made under the 2015-2020 Strategy to continue the embedding of digital technologies in all classroom and school activity so that the use of digital technology becomes a seamless part of the whole education experience
This strategy builds on previous strategies and incorporates education reform over recent years. Its aim is to help young people become active learners and supports the development of 21st Century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication and digital literacy.
The Strategy reflects EU priorities also, aligning with the EU Digital Education Plan, and also supports key department policies, in particular the Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy soon to be published, and the STEM Education Policy Statement.
The provision of this funding can also support curricular change, including to the primary curriculum which envisages child being supported to become digital learners, who are curious, creative, confident and critical users of digital technology.
Fee charging schools receive funding at a rate of 50 per cent rate. €1,000 lump sum and €15.20 per capita.
Digital Strategy for Schools
The aim of the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 is to build on progress made in the use of digital technologies.
It is anticipated that issuing €35 million in 2025 will enable the balance of funding of €65 million remaining in the National Development Plan commitment to issue over the remaining years of the current strategy.
This funding underpins the ongoing commitment to supporting and enabling schools to ensure the continued embedding of digital technologies in teaching learning and assessment.
Minor Works funding
Under the scheme, funding is made available to all primary and special schools on the following basis:
€5,500 basic grant plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per student with special educational needs enrolled in the school on 30 September of the year prior to the issue of the grant. The €74 rate applies to a special needs pupil attending a special school or attending a special education class attached to a mainstream school.
Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs.
The works that can be undertaken under the Minor Works Grant Scheme include maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds, improvement or replacement of mechanical and electrical services, the purchase of standard furniture and educational equipment, the purchase of floor coverings and window blinds, the purchase of IT related equipment, ventilation improvements, and enhancements to outdoor learning environments.
Between 2020 and 2024 in excess of €274 million in Minor Works Grants and Enhanced Minor Works Grants has been allocated to schools. This includes the payment of Minor Works Grants totalling almost €30 million paid in April 2024 to primary schools and special schools for the current school year 2024/2025.