Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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290. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a timeline for the development of his Department's specific climate change targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49566/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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My 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 level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification.

My Department’s Technical Guidance Documents set 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 forty eight research projects at various stages.

Schools that are designed and built in accordance with the Department’s Schools technical guidance documents must achieve as a minimum an A3 Building Energy Rating.

All new technologies and approaches are tested to ensure compatibility with school design and operational requirements. Successful and repeatable results are then incorporated into all new school designs and refurbishments.

In relation to existing schools buildings, my Department provided 100% funding for cavity wall and attic insulation and water conservation in 2009/2010 and energy upgrade works are often an integrated feature in summer works projects. Going forward a deeper upgrade of the energy efficiency of existing schools will be required to meet the requirements of Government and EU energy efficiency and climate change legislation. In this regard, a pilot programme on deep energy retrofits is currently being undertaken by my Department in partnership with the SEAI. This is being carried out with a view to developing a scalable model of energy efficiency retrofits in the school sector into the future, the funding for which will be made available over the lifetime of the National Development Plan.