Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to make a secondary school classroom in County Carlow (details supplied) safe. [16463/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for funding under the Summer Works Scheme 2011. Unfortunately, due to the scale of demand for funding under the scheme, it was not possible to grant aid all applications. As outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the scheme, applications for works in the higher categories of eligible works were prioritised and it was not possible to include the school referred to by the Deputy in the list of 453 successful schools that was announced on 30 March 2011 and in the further list of 374 schools that were successful under the Jobs Initiative. The school has been advised accordingly.

For works that are of a very urgent nature, it is open to the school authorities to consider if the works in question, or part thereof, qualify for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme. An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action and, in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening. Details of the Scheme, together with an application form for grant assistance, can be accessed on my Department's website at www.education.ie.