Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
478. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an exhaustive list of flood related compensation, paid from her Department's vote allocations over the past ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14098/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no specific flood compensation scheme operating in the Department of Education and Youth.
The Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is available to provide funding for unforeseen emergencies. 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. In the event that a flood event were to result in an emergency of this nature in a school, the school could apply for support to the EWS. It is important to note that EWS funding is for an agreed, limited scope of works and does not constitute ‘compensation’.
Approved EWS funding has historically being categorised according to the nature of the works carried out, such as roof works for example, rather than the cause of the emergency. However, it is not believed that there have been significant allocations from EWS relating to flood events over the past number of years.
