Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
183. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that Kerry Pike National School made two applications under the emergency works grant for a replacement floor and that both of these applications were refused despite the flooring proving a potentially hazardous trip risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2179/24]
View answerThe purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide for unforeseen emergencies that impact on school buildings. 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 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 applications referred to by the Deputy were deemed not to fall within the remit of the EWS, which operates on a minimal scope of works. However, if the school feels that there is an element of the application that would fall within the EWS the school can submit a scaled-back version of its previous application and this will be examined. It is open to a school to use their capitation grant or their minor work grant to replace floor coverings at the school. The capitation grant is paid to primary and voluntary secondary schools. It is based on the number of recognised pupils enrolled in the schools. Capitation grants are paid at the applicable rate at the time the grant is issued.
Capitation funding is intended to contribute to the day to day running costs of schools and consequently should be used to meet the cost of items such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general upkeep in schools. It should also be noted that a proportion of the grant is intended to be used by schools to assist with the purchase of teaching materials and resources.
Capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for care taking and secretarial services may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.
