Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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167. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will expressly give guidance on how a school (details supplied) can address the decrepit state of their old school building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5103/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The school to which the deputy refers has submitted two applications for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS), one for mechanical and electrical (M&E) works, and one for roof works.

It is important to note that the EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation, which is defined as 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 M&E application sought a scope of works that includes a full rewire, replacement life safety systems, heating upgrade and replacement sanitary ware in the toilets. The school was advised to submit a revised scope of works and associated itemised cost breakdown (ICB) to be informed by a Periodic Inspection Report. The EWS area has not received any further information in this regard.

The roof works application proposed a replacement of a flat roof with new pitched roof. The school was advised to submit a revised scope of works and associated itemised cost breakdown (ICB) to be informed by a leak detection test and an asbestos survey. The EWS area has not received any further information in this regard either.

As mentioned above, the EWS is a scheme designed to put in place interim measures to remedy an emergency situation until such time as a school can submit an application for a comprehensive upgrade of the affected area under the Summer Works Scheme.

As the Deputy 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 a number of categories 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 its planning for 2025 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.