Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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382. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria for the schools' energy retrofit pathfinder programme; the way a school can put forward its interest in being considered for the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8175/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to inform the Deputy that my Department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications established a jointly funded pathfinder programme, which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Planning and Building Unit in the Department of Education with delivery support from Limerick Clare ETB.

This pathfinder is a great example of collaboration ensuring the deployment of new design approaches and technologies are introduced to the educational environment on an evidence based approach.

This programme continues to assist the Department to explore options and test various solutions for decarbonised energy efficiency solutions in our broad range of school building types.

It is paving the way for, and informing, a much larger schools national programme for the decarbonisation of schools built prior to 2008 as included in the National Development Plan and will play a key part of meeting delivery of the Climate Action Plan.

It 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 pathfinder programme has retrofitted 48 schools across Ireland to date with work on an additional 16 schools currently at various stages of progress.

Each school undergoes a comprehensive assessment to ensure that the measures are suitable for that school and will deliver value to both the school and learnings for the national retrofit programme.

The works typically involves upgrades to the building fabric including wall and roof insulation, doors and windows, air tightness improvements, LED lighting and heating upgrades as well as renewable technologies.

The pathfinder programme is thus delivered on broad assessment in line with the above considerations and not on an application invitation basis. Schools who wish to be consideration should ensure that they are meeting Energy Monitoring and Reporting requirements and can demonstrate a strong and holistic commitment to energy management practices through participation in the Energy in Education Programme.

The Energy in Education website portal and advice programme (Joint programme between SEAI and Dept. of Education assists schools to reduce energy consumption and on the benefits of sustainability: www.energyineducation.ie. Typically savings of between 5 to 10% are identified through low and no cost measures, while some schools participating have identified potential savings of up to 15 % or more.