Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to require all schools in receipt of capitation funding to implement targeted energy efficiency programmes to cut wasteful usage of lighting, heating and electronic equipment in view of the fact that existing voluntary and piecemeal projects show the potential to save 15-40% of schools energy costs within two years at most, using models and guidance provided by Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland but unknown to most schools; his views on whether such energy efficiencies could save up to €15 million a year of the €200 million cost of capitation funding, thereby reducing cuts to vital educational services by the same sum and thus make cuts that do not hurt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47303/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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For the past fifteen years the planning and building unit of my Department has been using a process called the DART approach to develop sustainability and energy efficiency in educational buildings. This acronym focuses on four key areas, namely, Design, Awareness, Research and Technology. The policy is informed by the building unit professional and technical staff, driven by its technical guidance documents and updated by continued energy research and development.

It has been demonstrated that all schools designed and built in line with the above policy and the technical guidance documents can have an energy performance that is more than twice as efficient as international best practice.

Under my Department's Summer Works Scheme, in excess of €182m has been spent since 2009 on improvements to mechanical and electrical installations, toilets, windows and roofs in both primary and post-primary schools across the country, which is contributing to the energy efficiency of these buildings. In addition, €15 million has been spent under my Department's 2009 energy efficiency scheme and further €7.4 million under the 2010 water conversation scheme. In total in excess of €204 million has been provided to school to assist with energy efficiency and conversion since 2009 which represents 16% of the total overall capital spend on school building since 2009.

My Department, in conjunction with Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has developed an "Energy in Education" website (www.energyineducation.ie) which I launched recently. The website is designed to help school boards of management, principals, teachers, administrators, care-taking staff, pupils and parents to improve energy use practices and to reduce school operating costs, along with helping to protect the environment for future generations.