Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising these issues. It gives me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education, to outline to the House the Department’s position on the Ennistymon community school and Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, building projects, as well as the Department's approach to climate action in new-build schools. The Department is at the forefront of design with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both national and international levels, with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design and specification. New renewable technologies and approaches are tested to ensure compatibility with school design and operational requirements under the research programme. Successful and repeatable results are then incorporated into all new-school designs and refurbishments through the Department's technical guidance documents, which set out the benchmark for sustainable design in school buildings with a clear focus on energy efficiency. The Department's policy is supported by a strong research programme, with 53 research projects at various stages, including the energy website energyineducation.ie, a joint partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

Schools, including Ennistymon community school, that are designed and built in accordance with the Department's technical guidance documents have been achieving A3 building energy ratings, BERs, since 2009, with schools typically achieving a performance up to 20% higher than required by the current building regulations, along with 10% of primary energy provided via photovoltaics and infrastructure provision for electric-vehicle charging. For instance, Ennistymon community school will include an A3 BER standard; a fully evaluated natural ventilation strategy for all spaces; a 20% higher energy performance and a 25% better carbon performance than required by the 2019 building regulations, even though the school was designed pre-2019; 10% of primary energy provided via photovoltaics; and provision to enable energy supply companies to sell renewable biomass heat to the school under the support scheme for renewable heat, SSRH, as that type of heat matures as a service in Ireland. The SSRH is a Government funding initiative designed to increase the energy generated from renewable sources in the heat sector. Other provisions will include a system that automatically shuts down power to non-essential electrical power outlets when the school is closed, eliminating energy use out of hours; infrastructure for electric-vehicle charging; rainwater harvesting; CO₂monitors; excellent daylight; internal and external LED lighting; variable speed pumping; building management system control of energy, including energy metering; zone and individual room heating control; educational signage drawing attention to environmental aspects of design; and support offered to the school to aid the understanding of energy use and the optimisation of control.

In summary, in the interest of sustainability, the potential of renewables is maximised in school designs while ensuring that renewable applications are properly suited to needs and reflective of school opening hours and school holiday periods. It is critical also that an energy reduction plan be part of any investment in renewable energy applications. I have been provided with a further three or four pages of detail, and while I will not get through it all, I will respond to the Senator directly in my follow-up reply.