A Clare school has received funding to enhance its outdoor play facilities.

The announcement has been welcomed by local TD Tony Killeen, who said around €8,527 worth of works will be carried out at Ogonnelloe National School.

Meanwhile, Derrybrien NS has received funding of €3,949 allowing for works totalling €5,265 to be carried out.

So far over €5.7m has been delivered through the CLÁR Primary School Outdoor Play Facilities Enhancement Scheme, with 856 schools being assisted since 2004.

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Mr Killeen said the scheme had already brought significant improvements to outdoor play facilities at schools in Ballyea, Connolly, Drumdigus, Cloonanaha, Clondegad, Knockerra, Doonbeg, Baltard and Dangan.

"The type of projects being funded at rural primary schools in CLÁR areas include cover grassing/tarmacadam of play areas, the supply of goal posts, nets and basketball hoops, as well as other recreational facilities for outdoor play areas," he said.

The CLÁR programme is a targeted investment programme for rural areas that suffered more than a 35% drop in population between 1926 and 2002.

It covers parts of 22 counties and all of Co Leitrim and benefits a population of nearly 727,000.

CLÁR schemes cover a wide variety of developments such as roads, water supply, sewerage disposal, health, schools enhancement, electricity conversion, coastal, sports and community projects.

(PR/JM)