THE INTO has broadly welcomed the new system of capital grants for primary schools announced by the Minister for Education last week.

However, Sally Shiels, INTO president, says that the union hopes that this system will not hold up or prevent grants being provided for projects which cost more than the amount provided for under the scheme.

Shiels says that the areas on which the money can be spent should be extended to include the provision of phones in schools which do not already have one. This is a safety issue, she says.

The Department specifies that the money is to be spent on school buildings and grounds; mechanical and electrical services; furniture and physical education equipment, floor coverings and window blinds.

Under the new system, which comes into operation in January 1997, the Department of Education will transfer a total of £11 million to the 3,300 national schools throughout the country.

Each school is set receive an annual grant of £2,000 plus £9 per pupil to carry out minor improvements to school buildings and facilities.

The new scheme will replace the existing centralised system whereby schools applied to the Department for grants and approval for individual projects.

Under this new scheme, schools will be required to open a separate account to administer this capital budget. The Minister said that the new devolved system should be of, great benefit to schools, and that it is a practical example of the implementation of the White Paper.