Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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364. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for emergency works for a school (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9125/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for a windows project.

The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. 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 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.

The EWS operates on the basis of the minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation. The EWS usually provides an interim solution until such time as a comprehensive solution can be provided under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS).

The school's EWS application was refused on the basis that works being sought did not qualify for funding under the EWS and were more appropriate to an SWS project. However, the option remains open to the school to appeal this decision. Appeals will only be considered if they are submitted through the Esinet system and should contain additional relevant information that was not provided as part of the original application.

The purpose of the 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 including windows and was last opened for applications in 2019.

As part of it’s planning for 2025 and beyond, Department officials are considering and planning for the next phases of the summer works programme. 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.