Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

419. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which a school can put its name forward for consideration as a possible candidate for the SEAI schools energy retrofit pathfinder programme. [54272/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I would like to inform the Deputy that the School Energy Retrofit Pathfinder Programme is jointly funded by the Department of Education and Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Planning and Building Unit in the Department of Education.

This programme continues to assist the Department to identify and test solutions for decarbonised energy efficiency solutions in our schools, to support the Climate Action Plan. It is paving the way for, and informing, an accurate and scalable model for a large national schools’ programme for the energy retrofit of schools built prior to 2008 as included in the National Development Plan.

This collaborative programme is facilitating research on a range of typical retrofit options, which will have been tried and tested. It is providing valuable development information for a solution driven delivery strategy which will be founded on a solid evidence base that has proven the robustness and scalability of renewable solutions within the schools’ sector.

The programme selection also seeks to enable various cross sections of school types and sizes, energy consumption profiles and different elements of construction type and heritage/ conservation requirements where specific learnings are being targeted. The general principles and approach to school selection include schools meeting Energy Monitoring and Reporting requirements and demonstrating a strong and holistic commitment to energy management practices through participation in the Energy in Education Programme.

The pathfinder programme is thus delivered through a broad assessment in line with the above considerations.