A major increase in grants to national schools which rent temporary accommodation has been announced by the Minister for Education and Science.
Speaking at Monkstown multi-denominational school in Co Dublin yesterday, Mr Martin said that he had been very concerned when he heard about schools whose annual rent bill for temporary premises exceeded £40,000, meaning that they had to fund-raise up to half this amount from parents and supporters.
The Minister said that from this month schools whose viability was assured and which had been granted permanent recognition would be "paid grant-aid at the rate of 95 per cent of any reasonable rent". Schools which have temporary recognition are to be paid 75 per cent.
About 150 schools will benefit from the new measure.