Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The school to which the Deputy refers applied for asbestos removal works together with the installation of new flooring at the school, which was approved in June 2022 under the Emergency Works Scheme. The school contacted the Department in June 2023 to increase the scope of works under that approval.

The main purpose of the Emergency Works Grant Scheme is to provide for unforeseen emergencies that impact on school buildings. An emergency is 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 there of from opening.

As a lot of the works contained in the new proposed scope was outside the remit of the Emergency Works Scheme, the school have been asked to re-examine their new proposed scope and scale back the works to ensure it is appropriate to the Emergency Works Scheme and resubmit for approval. The Emergency Works Scheme will, of course, address any essential works which could pose an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment and any upgrade works beyond the remit of the Emergency Works Scheme may be progressed via separate funding mechanisms within the Department. The Department has been in contact with the Principal with regards to how any residual works might be addressed at a later stage.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when final approval and funding will be approved for modular accommodation for a primary school (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31884/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.

The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.

An ASA application from the school to which the Deputy refers is currently being assessed and when this is completed the school authority will be notified of the decision. My Department is very cognisant of the timeframe for the new school year and is working to advance matters as quickly as possible.

In addition, my Department is liaising with all schools that have accommodation requirements for the coming school year in relation to their contingency planning arrangements and any supports required for same.