Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to consider expanding the summer works scheme to include astro turf surfaces, rather than restricting the funding to play areas, tarmac, and concrete surfaces, as per the proposed development of sporting facilities in education in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59620/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS) 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 CASWS operates on a multi-annual basis across a number of categories of works such as Climate Action and External Environment, which could include the upgrade of play areas. The criteria for the upgrades of such facilities is already set out in the CASWS circular and the relevant Technical Guidance Documents (TGD's).

It is envisaged that approvals in any given year will involve a spread of categories rather than the traditional single category at a time. This is aimed at managing market capacity and maximising value for money opportunities for school authorities.

The CASWS will operate on a multi-annual basis with the first tranche of projects being announced in Q4 2025 for commencement in summer 2026. Under this scheme, approved applications from schools that are not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons (as above) in 2026 will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years.

Full details of the new CASWS, Circular (0029/2025) for the scheme and guidance documents for schools can be found at the below link;

www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/