Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On solar panels, we launched the solar panels programme last week. The programme will go live on 30 November for the first ten counties. A further eight counties will follow and another eight counties will follow that again, in May and December, I think. All schools will be eligible to apply. There will be 16 panels per school. The initiative means that schools will, for the first time, have a user-friendly application process because we will use the geographic information system. We have never done that before and it means there will be an online portal which will facilitate a very quick application system for schools. We think this new method will speed up the process and will probably present opportunities to use this type of model to time-manage for school principals. I will get back to the Deputy with a response to her query about the Stepping Stones Special School.

On the question about the Covid cleaning grant, nobody has been asked to repay unless a school had funds available that it did not spend or whatever the case might be. If a school has not spent the money, it would have to repay it.