Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of fast track schools under construction in June 2008; the number of these fast track schools that have had or will have storage heating installed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27930/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am glad to inform the Deputy that my Department currently has 26 school projects due for completion for the 2008 school year. None of these schools will be heated by storage heating. All new schools are built to the specifications set out in the Departments technical Guidelines. These guidelines encourage the design team to take a complete design team approach from project conception. There is particular emphasis on elimination of over design, improved thermal envelope design and improved passive solar design, natural ventilation and day lighting along with advanced heating and lighting controls.

It has been demonstrated that all Primary Schools designed and built in line with the above policy and the technical guidance documents can have an energy performance that is 2.3 times more efficient than International best practice. The performance of my Department in the area of low energy design has been recognised at both National and International level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification and just recently by the Taoiseach's Public Service Excellence Awards held in Dublin Castle Conference Centre on Friday 18 April 2008.