Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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369. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools at primary and secondary level that have reported leaks in the roofs of the schools, by age of the school; the design requirements which are in place to prevent such leaks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65339/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Department operates two main schemes which can deal with existing roofs in schools. These schemes are the Emergency Works Scheme and the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme.

As the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies, or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and access for pupils with special 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 a minimal scope works to address the emergency situation. The EWS is intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides only an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) which deals with upgrade works to the school.

The purpose of the new 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 Toilets which could involve full upgrade of toilet facilities.

The Department of Education does not hold data that will readily identify roof leaks by school age. However, since 2021 the Department has spent over €77m on roof works under both EWS and SWS.