Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the funding available to the green schools scheme for the year 2009 from his Department and from various other sponsors of the scheme; the funding which was available in the years 2006, 2007 and 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25074/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Green Schools programme is an international education initiative that introduces participants (students, teachers, parents) to the concept of an environmental management system and promotes whole school action for the environment. Some 3,185 Irish schools are registered for the programme and over 1,757 schools have earned the right to fly the Green Flag.

In Ireland, the scheme is administered by An Taisce and the environment elements are sponsored by a number of contributors including Repak, ESB Independent Energy and the Wrigley company as well as my own Department. The table below sets out the funding available from my Department for the Green Schools Programme over the period in question. Funding otherwise made available is a matter for the individual sponsors involved.

An Taisce has indicated very positive achievements in the current school year: - 12 tonnes per day of waste is directly diverted from landfill - 3.7 million units of electricity has been saved - 21 million litres of clean drinking water has been saved - 600,000 litres of fuel has been saved on school travel.

Funding from my Department