To help ease the financial strain of providing preschool and after-school services, Minister for the Department of Children, Roderic O’Gorman, assured that income generated from these services would not impact schools’ government funding. This statement came in response to a query from Limerick TD Richard O’Donoghue during a parliamentary session.
Minister O’Gorman emphasized that the Department of Education has outlined procedures for schools to utilize their facilities outside regular hours. Additionally, he pledged that any revenue from after-school programs would not affect schools’ State grants or other funding from the department, aiming to encourage broader use of school facilities.
Deputy O’Donoghue, who had previously raised concerns about funding for preschool and after-school initiatives in Bruff, welcomed these assurances from the Minister. He stressed the importance of supporting such programs to ensure they can continue serving as vital community resources.
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While Deputy O’Donoghue highlighted rising construction costs affecting projects like the Bruff preschool, he called for government intervention to mitigate the impact of inflation on funding allocations. He underscored the dedication of local communities and educators in safeguarding children’s educational opportunities amidst financial challenges.
Minister O’Gorman did not specifically address potential additional funding for the Bruff school or similar projects in his response.