Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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341. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a school in Donegal (details supplied) will receive a decision regarding a capital works project application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28430/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Since 2020, my Department has invested over €5.8 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.5 billion.

All applications from schools for major capital works including from the school referred to by the Deputy must be considered in the context of capacity requirements and climate action commitments. My Department is also required to manage the allocated capital funding across all schools in the country. The Department’s approach is to maximise the usage of existing capacity in schools and, in tandem with this, to manage the progression of the existing pipeline of projects within available budgets and in line with the Government’s Infrastructure Guidelines.

The Department can identify opportunities to transform existing schools as part of energy retrofit projects, and the Department’s Pathfinder programme has been developing effective solutions in this regard, as we plan for a future wider rollout. The plan for working this through at national scale will be informed by the outcome of an Energy and Condition survey of all schools which is currently underway. This overall process is particularly valuable in facilitating a proportionate assessment of a school’s accommodation upgrade needs relative to all other schools and allow an effective prioritisation of capital investment. The Department recently announced a new multi-annual Summer Works Scheme with a focus on climate action and energy conservation. Further details are available on Gov.ie and the OLCS.

This allows the Department to keep a strong focus on the provision of additional capacity to cater for demographics, new housing developments and the rollout of additional special classes for children with additional needs. This approach reflects the Department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.

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.

Should the school in question have any concerns about the condition of the existing building that would qualify as an emergency, it should contact the emergency works team through the online Emergency Works Application Form available through the Esinet System. The Department is engaging with the school directly on how best to address its immediate requirements in this regard.

Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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342. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether primary schools will be paid the minor works grant before the end of the current academic year; specifically, if a school (details supplied) will be paid the minor works grant before the end of the current academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28431/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The Minor Works Grant is provided to all primary and special schools, to enable them undertake small-scale minor maintenance and improvement works on a devolved basis.

Under Project Ireland 2040, a commitment was given that the Minor Works Grant would be paid in either December or January of the school year to all primary schools, including special schools. In recent years, my department’s approach has been to pay the Minor Works Grant to schools in advance of the start of the following school year, in order to facilitate a better lead in period for schools to plan any maintenance or minor works during the summer period.

Primary and special schools need not apply for Minor Works Grant aid. Under the scheme, funding is made available to all primary and special schools on the following basis:

€5,500 basic grant plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil enrolled in the school on the 30th of September of the year prior to the issue of the grant. The €74 rate applies to a special needs pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school.

Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed, to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs.

Between 2020 and 2024 in excess of €274 million in Minor Works Grants and Enhanced Minor Works Grants, have been allocated to schools. This includes the payment of Minor Works Grants totalling almost €30 million paid in April 2024 to primary schools and special schools for the current school year 2024/2025. In April 2024, the school referred to by the Deputy, received €8,534 in Minor Works funding for the 2024/2025 school year.

My department's Planning & Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2025 in the context of its available funding. The timeline for the payment of the next tranche of Minor Works Grant funding will be confirmed in due course.