Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 April 2011
88 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received the health and safety concerns raised in a report supplied to him from a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if he will consider providing funding for essential works to this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7816/11]
View answerI can confirm that the school submitted an application for the works referred to by the Deputy under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme. Unfortunately, due to the scale of demand for funding under the scheme, it was not possible to grant aid all applications. As outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the scheme, applications for works in the higher categories of eligible works were prioritised and it was not possible to include the school referred to by the Deputy in the list of 453 successful schools that was announced on 30 March 2011. A letter to this effect has issued to the school.
In the meantime, for works that are of a very urgent nature, it is open to the school authorities to consider if the works in question qualify for funding under the Department's Emergency Works Scheme. 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. Details of the Scheme, together with an application form for grant assistance, can be accessed on the Department's website at www.education.ie.
