Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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260. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for funding to upgrade toilets, heating and windows in the school building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12638/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I with to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved additional mainstream classroom and special needs accommodation to the school authority in question to cater for increasing enrolments.  The responsibility for installing the accommodation concerned has been devolved directly to the school authority.

The school applied for funding for the works referred to by the Deputy under my Department's emergency works scheme. The purpose of the emergency works scheme is solely for unforeseen emergencies or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and access for special needs pupils.  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. As the scope of works applied for were outside the terms of the emergency works scheme, they could not be considered for emergency funding.