Up to €30m is to be spent this summer upgrading hundreds of schools.

Acting Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan has told 197 primary and secondary schools, (listed below), they can go ahead with holiday repairs.

The work is expected to include gas, electrics and building maintenance.

Meanwhile, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has promised to create an extra 566 resource teacher posts.

That means more than 7,000 resource teachers will be available to support mainstream classes by this September.

NCSE CEO Teresa Griffin said: “The NCSE is pleased to announce the allocation of 7,020

resource teaching posts to schools for 2016/2017 school year.

“In addition, the NCSE will be in a position to allocate a second round of posts in October to provide for newly diagnosed students and students who may move schools between now and the new school year. We have 422 posts available to respond to such needs.”

Speaking about the announcement Minister O’Sullivan said: “Of the €80 million announced for the multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017), €30 million is now being allocated for vital gas works and electrical upgrades in schools.

“The capacity of schools to take responsibility for delivering small and medium-scale projects is a key component of the Summer Works Scheme. The projects approved have been assessed as being priority projects by the individual schools themselves.

“In 2016, my Department will invest over €525 million in school infrastructure. It’s an important investment that needs to continue as our economy recovers.”