A €30 MILLION package has been announced to carry out improvements at more than 400 schools.

The allocation for the Summer Works Scheme includes a new climate action focus with schools given funding and asked to plan for electric vehicle charging points.

Education Minister Joe McHugh described the focus for the scheme as upgrading and improving life safety systems such as fire alarms and detection and emergency lighting, as well as new surfaces on play areas and car parks.

“In total 405 primary and post-primary schools will benefit from the Summer Works Scheme – that’s more than a tenth of all the schools in the country in one go,” he said.

Meanwhile, the climate action initiative will see schools who receive funding for car parking and play areas required to identify a point for electric vehicle charging.

“The climate action element of next year’s summer works is a sensible plan for the future,” Mr McHugh said.

“More and more electric charging points are coming on stream and it is symbolic that schools will be demonstrating how important initiatives like this are.

“The work will be carried out in schools mainly over the summer months, so the disruption to students, teachers and other staff will be kept to a minimum.”

All schools approved for the 2020 Summer Works Scheme are being notified by the Department with further details and instructions on how to proceed.