Mark Wall
Question:354. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding emergency works for a school in County Kildare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3247/26]
View answerThursday, 15 January 2026
Questions (354)
Written answers
As the Deputy maybe aware, 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 provides an interim solution until such time as a comprehensive solution can be provided under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS).
In the case of the school in question it should be noted that a site visit was carried out by a member of the Department's technical unit recently in order to assist the school with guidance on how to address some of the accommodation issues the school faces. The EWS team subsequently contacted the school patron with advice on next steps on how to apply for EWS funding to remediate the emergency issues, including advice on sequencing the works in a manner that ensures the affected classrooms can be brought back into use as a matter of urgency. To date no EWS application has been received from the school in question.