Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has probably visited a number of sites. We are building phenomenal schools. They are impressive buildings. We have been using not only the build model by the Department through direct acquisition of design but also public private partnerships. Different approaches have been used. The Department is very much on top of modern building methods. That is not to say we cannot improve. One of the sectors where we have had least productivity growth in recent years has been in construction, perhaps for understandable reasons. With the advent of technology, no doubt there are new opportunities. They are certainly opportunities to become much more efficient, energy efficient in particular. My Department is very alert to the obligations of moving towards highly energy efficient buildings in its programme.

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