John Clendennen
Ceist:247. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a matter regarding a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27611/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 15 April 2026
Ceisteanna (247)
Freagraí scríofa
I refer to recent correspondence in relation to proposed safety measures at the school in question and can advise the Deputy as follows.
Individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. The issue of road safety measures within the vested areas of schools are therefore a matter for the school authority. Road safety outside the vested site areas of schools on public roads, such as road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter, for the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools to ensure that measures are in place to protect the safety of local school children. The Department of Education and Youth therefore has no function in this matter.
I 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 and could include the upgrade or provision of car parking/set down areas.
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 SWS is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. 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 newly announced Climate Action Summer works opened for applications on the 1st May 2025 and the application window closed on the 30th of June 2025, full details of the scheme can be found under [Summer Works Scheme]. The EWS is open for applications year-round. It is open to the school to make an application under the most appropriate scheme.
In the case of the school in question it should be noted that there are currently no outstanding EWS or SWS projects. It is also open for the school to use their minor works grant for any upgrade works required to the school including external works.
The Deputy may be aware that the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme was developed in partnership by the NTA and Green-Schools, An Taisce, in 2020, as a response to the need to support schools to increase walking and cycling to school. The programme aims to:
• Improve safety at the school gate by providing ‘front of school’ treatments to alleviate congestion and improve access;
• Improve access routes to school by improving walking and cycling infrastructure; and
• Increase the number of students who cycle to school by expanding the amount of cycle parking
All schools in the state were eligible to apply to the programme and information was circulated in March 2021 from the Departments of Education and Transport to schools nationwide. Schools that have applied and have not been included in the first two rounds of funding will not be required to reapply, as they will come into the programme on a rolling basis.