Brian Brennan
Question:376. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education the status of the works required for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13891/25]
View answerTuesday, 25 March 2025
Questions (376)
Written answers
My department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications have developed a jointly funded school sector decarbonisation pathfinder programme. It is administered by the Planning and Building Unit in my Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in partnership with devolved delivery support from Limerick and Clare Education Training Board, and Longford and Westmeath Education Training Board.
This pathfinder programme is facilitating research on a range of typical retrofit options for schools, which will be tried and tested. It is providing valuable development information for a solution driven delivery strategy which will be founded on a solid evidence base that has proven the robustness and scalability of renewable solutions within the school sector.
The school to which the Deputy refers is included in a Regional Fabric Bundle strand of the Pathfinder 2025 programme. The works proposed are energy related and include upgrades such as attic and wall insulation as well as upgrades to the flat roofs to bring them up to current building regulations.
The option remains open to the school in question to submit an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for any immediately required measures to address any health and safety concerns relating to the school building. The purpose of the 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.
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 the minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation. The EWS usually provides an interim solution until such time as a comprehensive solution can be provided under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS), or in this case the Pathfinder 2025 programme.