MAYO Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has expressed his disappointment after the Minister for Education & Skills Ruairi Quinn confirmed that the Summer Works Scheme will not be proceeding in 2012.

Minister Quinn confirmed the news in the Dáil last week saying that ‘financial constraints imposed by the need to prioritise funding for the provision of school accommodation, it is not possible to advance with a Summer Works programme this year.’

 “This is yet another kick in the guts for small rural schools and communities,” said Deputy Calleary. “The Summer Works Scheme has been a fantastic resource for the smaller school community and has been used to carry out essential repairs and for upgrading of facilities such as mechanical, electrical and structural improvements.

“Since 2004 a total of 3,000 schools across the country have benefitted from this scheme dramatically improving structural, mechanical, electrical, gas and other works in schools right across the country.

“These works have traditionally been carried out in schools over the summer months, when the pupils are on holidays, so the disruption to schooling has been kept to a minimum. The investment in our schools has also created much-needed jobs in the construction sector and that will also be sorely missed particularly in rural Ireland.

“The fact that the scheme is mot proceeding in 2012 is a bitter blow to small local schools,” he said.