Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The project to which the Deputy refers, was approved a project under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation scheme for the provision of 3 general classrooms, 1 textiles room, 1 science lab/prep area, 1 graphics room, 1 art room, 1 art project store, and 2 classroom SEN base.

The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.

Design team has been appointed by the school authority, and the next step is for the design team to prepare and submit a Stage 1 report. Once this report has been received by my Department, the Professional and Technical Team will review the submission and issue comments accordingly.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the summer works grant will open for 2024. [2176/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As you may be aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis for categories of works such as roof works, window replacement, mechanical and electrical works, external works etc. and was last opened for applications in 2019.

My Department is leading an ambitious sustainability agenda and has progressed a wide array of measures to improve the overall sustainability of our school buildings. It is a priority for Government to deliver on Ireland’s ambitious climate agenda and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes targets around the decarbonisation of Ireland’s public buildings.

As part of it’s planning for 2024 and beyond, Department officials are considering and planning for the next phases of the summer works programme and the opportunities this may create to support the sustainability agenda. In this regard, it is envisaged at this stage that, a Multi-Annual SWS with a focus on climate action and energy conservation will be the focus for the next summer works scheme to be opened for applications. The arrangements and timing of that SWS is still under consideration and schools will be updated in due course.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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181. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills under what scheme a school can apply for replacement flooring. [2177/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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It is open to a school to use their capitation grant or their minor work grant to replace floor coverings at the school. The capitation grant is paid to primary and voluntary secondary schools. It is based on the number of recognised pupils enrolled in the schools. Capitation grants are paid at the applicable rate at the time the grant is issued.

Capitation funding is intended to contribute to the day to day running costs of schools and consequently should be used to meet the cost of items such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general upkeep in schools. It should also be noted that a proportion of the grant is intended to be used by schools to assist with the purchase of teaching materials and resources.

Capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for care taking and secretarial services may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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182. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will arrange a site visit with officials in her Department to Kerry Pike National School to undertake a survey of works to be completed. [2178/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide a 3 classroom SEN base.

This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and officials in my Department await submission of the Stage 1 report from the school design team. Once this has been received it will be reviewed by my Department’s professional and technical team.

The Department has given approval to school authorities in January 2024 to undertake the survey requested for this project.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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183. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that Kerry Pike National School made two applications under the emergency works grant for a replacement floor and that both of these applications were refused despite the flooring proving a potentially hazardous trip risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2179/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide for unforeseen emergencies that impact on school buildings. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation.

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 thereof from opening.

The applications referred to by the Deputy were deemed not to fall within the remit of the EWS, which operates on a minimal scope of works. However, if the school feels that there is an element of the application that would fall within the EWS the school can submit a scaled-back version of its previous application and this will be examined. It is open to a school to use their capitation grant or their minor work grant to replace floor coverings at the school. The capitation grant is paid to primary and voluntary secondary schools. It is based on the number of recognised pupils enrolled in the schools. Capitation grants are paid at the applicable rate at the time the grant is issued.

Capitation funding is intended to contribute to the day to day running costs of schools and consequently should be used to meet the cost of items such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general upkeep in schools. It should also be noted that a proportion of the grant is intended to be used by schools to assist with the purchase of teaching materials and resources.

Capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for care taking and secretarial services may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.