Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
119. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans her Department has to maintain and refurbish rural primary schools in order to maintain their presence in rural communities across the country, given the threats to such funding due to rural depopulation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70185/25]
View answerI should explain that applications relating to the provision of funding for issues relating to an existing school building can fall under a number of different delivery mechanisms including, most frequently, the Summer Works Scheme and the Emergency Works Scheme.
The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (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).
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 that, 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 including but not limited to, Electrical Works, Mechanical Works, Roof Works, Windows, Toilets Facilities, Science Labs, External Environment Works etc.
The Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (which was previously named the Summer Works Scheme) places a strong emphasis on sustainability. Schools can now undertake additional measures such as insulation upgrades, LED lighting installation, EV charger provision, bike rack facilities to support active travel and other climate-focused works alongside traditional maintenance.
The recently announced CASWS is currently closed for applications. The EWS is open for applications year-round. It is open to a school to make an application under the most appropriate scheme.
