Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The next tranche of approvals is due this coming October for summer 2027. Drawing on experience from the Department's pathfinder programme, the new summer works scheme includes several climate action measures. Schools applying for the scheme select their preferred project category. There are ten categories of projects supported under this scheme, and all schools that applied for laboratory upgrades under it had their applications approved in the first tranche. This involved a total of 63 projects. Total expenditure under the summer works scheme from 1 January 2020 to 31 May 2026 amounted to €211 million. Some 1,480 summer works projects have been approved since 2020 to date, including 198 under the new climate action summer works scheme.

I hear the points the Deputy has raised, and I am sure he has engaged with the Department. I look forward to announcing the next tranche in October.

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