31st March 2025
The Department of Education has announced the launch of a new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS), aimed at supporting schools in planning and delivering environmentally focused projects. School authorities will now have a nine-week window to prepare and submit applications for funding, with the deadline set for 5:30pm on 30 June 2025.
The INTO understands that the Esinet portal will open for applications in early May 2025. Schools will be invited to submit their proposals online through this system. Once submitted, applications will be assessed according to the ten categories of works outlined in Section 3 of the Scheme’s Terms and Conditions. Each school may apply for only one project, and the responsibility for identifying and applying for the most urgently required works lies with the school authority.
The Department will notify schools of the first tranche of successful applications in the fourth quarter of 2025, with approved projects scheduled for delivery in summer 2026.
To be eligible for grant payments, schools must register on the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) website under Energy-in-business/Monitoring and Reporting for schools and must commit to submitting the required annual energy usage data. This aligns with new legislation mandating that schools report on their energy consumption.
In parallel, the Department is conducting an energy and condition audit of the entire school estate. Applications will first be assessed on their content and then cross-referenced with the audit data to prioritise those most in need.
Schools seeking further guidance should contact their relevant management body in the first instance. The CASWS team is also available via email at ClimateActionSWS@education.gov.ie.
It is important to note that applications related to inclusion and access for pupils or staff members with special needs, as well as projects concerning life safety systems, are now managed separately under the Department’s Emergency Works Scheme (EWS). These works should not be submitted under the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme.
Commenting on the scheme, INTO General Secretary John Boyle said:
The INTO campaigned strongly for the reinstatement of the annual Summer Works Scheme and welcomed its inclusion in the new Programme for Government 2025. Every teacher and child deserves to have a school environment fit for the 21st century. Our union will continue to advocate for this scheme and for sustainable funding streams to ensure that primary and special schools can make ends meet.