Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

Maybe I can engage with the Deputy further on the particular school. Where repairs need to be made to existing playgrounds or play spaces and certainly where there is a danger for students, schools may apply under the emergency works scheme or indeed the minor works scheme. I am pleased that under the new national development plan, NDP, funding will continue to be available for the emergency works scheme and the minor works grants. It is really important that as many schools as possible can avail of that. Over the years we have seen significant investment in schools and we need to make sure that is spread out and shared evenly across the schools.

The climate action summer works scheme provides a mechanism for schools to make small-scale improvements to school buildings but that also applies to outdoor spaces. The first tranche of approvals under this scheme is due to be announced probably in the next two weeks. That will be a scheme that will apply and will see funding provided across all the different constituencies and we have another tranche as well. There are a number of ways in which schools can engage with the Department. Funding has been secured for the next round of NDP and it is important that schools know they are able to avail of these types of grants specifically for the reasons the Deputy mentioned.

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