Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 May 2026
569. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the drawdown of summer works scheme funding approved for a school (details supplied) in October 2025; the current status of that funding; whether any issues are delaying drawdown; and to indicate when the school can expect to be in a position to draw down the approved funding. [34326/26]
View answerThe 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. The new CASWS closed for applications on the 30th June 2025 and a total of 1,430 schools made applications under the scheme.
In November 2025, my colleague the former Minister, Helen McEntee TD, announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS). 297 projects were approved to proceed in 2026, this included 99 remaining projects from the previous Summer Works Scheme, which included the school in question.
All approved schools have been contacted by my department and informed as to next steps in order to progress their projects which included an instruction to forward a full set of pretender documents to my Department for review and approval prior to any tender process taking place. This is done to ensure that all works are in compliance with building regulations, procurement regulations and the Departments guidelines and that works are completed to the highest standard and for the school and the schools current and future students.
The school in question did not follow this procedure and went straight to tender and following review of their Tender documentation a number of issues in relation to their Tender were identified and this has been sent to the school for comment and response. This highlights the importance of schools following the procedures and guidelines provided as a situation such as this could have been avoided. It is with the school now to provide a response to my Department’s technical evaluation in order to progress this project.
Full details of the new CASWS, Circular (0029/2025) for the scheme and guidance documents for schools can be found at the below link:
[Summer Works Scheme] (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/)
