Mr. John Dolan:

I will address Senator Power's question on grants for existing schools. The insulation scheme was carried out in 2009 and it was 100% grant-aided. It was decided in advance that it was to be a one-off scheme and €15 million was spent on it. The scheme has not been repeated because we cannot re-insulate cavity walls and attics that have already been insulated. The water conservation scheme took place in 2010 and cost €7.4 million. It was 100% grant-aided and all schools could apply. This year's summer works scheme focuses on mechanical, electrical and roof-related matters so the goal of energy saving is a significant element though not the sole motivation. Some €60.3 million will be spent on this.

We are working with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, on contracts to attract private finance to improve energy performance in schools. Our energy and education website gives clear guidance on low-cost and no-cost opportunities for schools to maximise potential and reap the low hanging fruit. Any energy savings made in this scheme are kept by schools.

On Deputy O'Brien's question relating to the imposition of penalties, our goal is to encourage energy saving by allowing schools to retain any financial savings made. We do not favour the imposition of penalties. On measuring the success of our schemes, we pilot all new technology and designs that are used in schools because we aim to ensure that something works before it is rolled out across the country. In some ways we view schemes that do not work as more successful than those that do because they allow us to ensure faulty technology is not rolled out nationally, becoming a headache for school principals and caretakers.

We aim for a building energy rating of A3 for new schools and this must be proven by the design team. This is achieved through modelling as designs are developed. The end results are tested. For example, air tightness testing is carried out independently to ensure it is satisfactory. The more airtight a school is the less heat will leak during the night and the less heat will be needed in the morning to bring it to the requisite temperature.

On Deputy Daly's question, we have publicised various schemes, including the energy and insulation scheme and the energy and education scheme, which was launched with a press release by the Minister in 2012. Our partners in education tell us that the problem is there are only good news stories on energy and education matters and such stories do not receive coverage.

I will now address guidance, prerequisites and the issue of ensuring that our work is future-proof. We decided that energy saving should be incorporated into school technical guidance documents so that it would not be treated as an add-on that could be removed when budget issues dictated. Some people are unaware of our energy saving policy because it is a core function of the design that we insist upon. The school we tested in 2009 was built to 2004 guidelines in 2006 and got a top band rating of A3 so this is evidence that we try to render our schools future-proof as much as possible. The new building regulations will apply next year and our guidance documents from 2004 indicate we will have little to do to satisfy the next generation of building regulations. We continue to future-proof as much as possible in the education sector with an emphasis on the reduction of maintenance and running costs for schools.

Deputy Ó Ríordáin referred to the amalgamation of schools and this is a choice that is open to schools that may have the benefit of a modernised building with lower operating costs for those involved. Regarding financial committees, on our energy and education website we try to focus on the entire school community. In my submission I read the long list of people at whom the website is targeted. It is a whole-community approach and the tools are provided in our energy and education programme.

The matter of monitoring and reporting on schools and public bodies is the remit of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland under legislation. The Department is not responsible so I cannot comment further.