Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2024
141. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will review her decision to not classify works (details supplied) as representing an emergency category, given the engineer’s report which was submitted. [25921/24]
View answerI should explain firstly that the the purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) within my Department 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. 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 school to which the deputy refers currently has one outstanding EWS application with my department. A technical site visit has been arranged by the EWS team in order to assess the extent of the works required and the school has been informed in this regard.
No EWS application from the school in question has been refused on the grounds that it does not fall within the criteria of an emergency.
