Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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439. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary schools that have working lifts in the school, in tabular form; and the plans to install lifts in schools to make buildings fully accessible. [16568/25]

Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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440. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of second level schools that have working lifts in the school, and the plans to install lifts in schools to make buildings fully accessible. [16569/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 440 together.

I should explain that applications relating to the provision of funding for issues relating to an existing school building can fall under a number of different delivery mechanisms including, most frequently, the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) and the Emergency Works Scheme.

As the deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies, including those that require works to facilitate access and inclusion for children with accessibility needs. 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 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 majority of primary schools in the school estate are single story and therefore the need for a lift between floors is not an issue. While my Department does not monitor the level of working lifts in schools across the country it is open to any school that so wishes to submit an EWS application, in the first instance, to address any accessibility works that may be required within the building.