Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the plans, if any, he has to provide funding to schools who wish to use renewable energy on their premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16195/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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My Department does not provide direct funding to schools who wish to use renewable energy on their premises. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, which is under the aegis of my Department, provides guidance on energy management in schools and An Taisce runs a Green Schools programme and award scheme in Ireland in co-operation with Local Authorities.

Green Schools is an international environmental education programme, designed to promote and acknowledge whole school action for the environment. Green Schools offers a well-defined, controllable way to take environmental issues from the curriculum and apply them to the day-to-day running of a school. In Ireland there are currently almost 2,015 primary, secondary and special schools participating in the programme. 651 schools have implemented the programme successfully and have been awarded the green flag.