The Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton , this week announced €65m in minor works and ICT grant funding for schools across the country, with €3.8 million of this being allocated to Galway schools.
The announcement also confirms a standardised payment period for the annual Minor Works and ICT grant funding for schools. This provides clarity and certainty for the school system and will now be incorporated into the annual grant payments calendar for schools.
€30 million in minor works grant funding will be provided to primary and special schools this week to enable them to use on a devolved basis for maintenance and small-scale improvement works.
A further €35 million in funding for ICT infrastructure will issue in January 2026 to all recognised special, primary and post-primary schools.
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton said she is pleased to provide this clarity and certainty for schools on their minor works and ICT grant funding.
“Providing certainty around the timing of minor works and ICT funding means that schools can plan ahead and make smart, flexible and timely improvements. Our investment of €65m will empower schools to invest locally and respond directly to the needs of their students and the school community. For students and teachers this means safer facilities, better technology and learning environments that will support them in the years ahead.”
This week €30m of Minor works grants funding will issue for all Primary schools and relates to the 2026/2027 school year. ICT grants funding €35 will issue to Primary and Post Primary schools in January 2026 for the 2025/2026 school year.
Providing clarity and certainty around the annual December/January payment of the Minor Works Grant and ICT Grants will support schools in their budgeting and aligns with the substantial increase in capitation funding announced in Budget 2026.
Recognising that each school is different, the payment of the Minor Works Grant allows individual schools who are best placed to decide how best to use this funding, 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.
The 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.
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.
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.
