Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2024
318. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education for an update on a primary school’s ASA project (details supplied), which is currently at stage 1 under review, given the serious health and safety concerns posed by the current situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22906/24]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide 4 Mainstream Classrooms, 2 SET Rooms and a 2 classroom SEN Base under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme in August 2023.
I can confirm that a Stage 1 Report has been received and forwarded to my Department’s Professional & Technical Team for review. A comprehensive design assessment is necessary to ensure the submission fulfils the approved brief and meets the financial requirements as per my Department’s guidelines. This review is currently ongoing.
Once the review is complete, officials at my Department will be in contact with the school authority with guidance on how to progress the project to the next stage.
In relation to the serious health and safety concerns mentioned by the Deputy, the Emergency Works Scheme is available to provide for unforeseen emergencies that impact on school buildings. 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 scheme 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.
Applications for funding under the scheme must serve one or both of these purposes and meet the criteria for funding as set out in the relevant circular, 0068/2020, and its appendices. All relevant and supporting information in relation to such an Emergency Works Grant Scheme application must be provided in order to support a claim for emergency grant aid.
