Education | Summer work projects facilitation

To ask the Minister for Education the extent to which summer works projects continue to be facilitated at all schools throughout the country without exception; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY
The purpose of the Summer Works Scheme is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. Under the terms of the scheme, school authorities are empowered to manage these works with guidance from and minimal interaction with the Department of Education.

Funding for small scale projects is allocated in accordance with the prioritisation criteria attaching to the scheme which, in the normal course, include the ability to have the works carried out during the summer.

It is envisaged that a new Multi-Annual Summer Works Scheme will be opened for new applications in later in 2022 and is expected to have a strong climate action aspect to it.