Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 July 2016
133. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be provided to a school (details supplied) under the summer works scheme 2016 to 2017, or if funding will be approved under the emergency works scheme for roof works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23026/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a Category 6 application for roof works under the Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017) from the school to which he refers.
Valid SWS (2016-2017) applications from schools in respect of Categories 3 to 10 that were not reached under round one approvals announced on 28th April last, will, subject to the overall availability of funding, qualify to be assessed under future rounds of the Scheme. If this arises, the terms and conditions of the scheme as outlined in Circular Letter (0055/2015), which may be accessed on my Department's website, will continue to apply when allocating funding to such projects. The application from the school in question is available to be considered in this context.
In the meantime, the school may use its minor works grant, which all primary schools received last November, to carry out the works in full or on a phased basis as that grant permits if the school considers them to be a priority.
The school in question previously applied for the works under the Department's Emergency Works Scheme. As the scope of works for the project are outside the terms of the Emergency Works Scheme, the project could not be considered for emergency funding. The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme is to ensure the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are most in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation.
