Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
444. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Education and Youth the immediate steps which will be taken to address a serious health and safety issue at a school (details supplied); the criteria under which these applications were assessed; the reason the situation was not classified as an emergency given the clear health and safety risks involved; and the interim and long-term measures that will now be put in place. [16517/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school in question applied for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for toilet works.
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.
The schools application was not in line with the minimal scope of works required to remedy the emergency situation and the was asked multiple times to revise the scope of works and associated cost breakdown in line with the EWS criteria. The most recent submission by the school still does not meet this criteria and in order to progress the issue a technical site visit will be facilitated by the EWS team.
