Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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544. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a school (details supplied) for safety works under the climate action summer works scheme; and when they will receive a decision on their application. [61858/25]

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 works which could involve set down areas and carparking.

My department can confirm that an application under the CASWS has been received for the school in question. However, it should be noted that applications will be assessed in accordance with availability of funding. 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/).