1222. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the next round of funding for the climate action summer works scheme will be announced and made available to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23643/26]

1223. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the funding streams that are available for a school (details supplied) which was unsuccessful in its application for the climate action summer works scheme but requires emergency works on their building to repair a leaking roof and damaged walls that are currently rendering two rooms unusable and causing damage to a further two; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23644/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1222 and 1223 together.

The purpose of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis that, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The CASWS operates on a multi-annual basis across a number of categories of works.

It is envisaged that approvals in any given year will involve a spread of categories rather than the traditional single category at a time. This is aimed at managing market capacity and maximising value for money opportunities for school authorities.

In November 2025, my colleague the former Minister Helen McEntee TD, announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme. 297 projects were approved to proceed and involve primary, post primary and special schools, along with projects in all counties and across all categories of works.

My Department can confirm an application was received from the school in question however the school was not on the list of approvals in the first tranche. Given that funding is limited in any particular year it is necessary to prioritise applications. Under the new climate action summer works scheme which operates on a multi-annual basis, like previous summer works schemes, applications from schools that are not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons in 2026 will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years.

It is anticipated that the next tranche of approvals will be in the latter half of 2026.

Full details of the of the announcement and the list of schools approved in the first tranche, the Circular (0029/2025) for the scheme and guidance documents for schools can be found at the below link:

www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/

It remains open to a school to apply for funding under the Department's Emergency Works Scheme (EWS). The purpose of the EWS is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. 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 a minimal scope works to address the emergency situation and 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.