Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what additional financial assistance has been provided to primary and post-primary schools to help them with their rising energy and utility bills; if she will confirm whether her Department will issue a scheme for schools that is comparable with the temporary business energy support scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15691/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My colleague Michael McGrath, the Minister for Finance, introduced the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) to support businesses with increases in their energy costs. The TBESS was introduced as part of a suite of government measures to counteract increased energy costs. Included in these cost of living measures was €90 million in once-off additional funding which was provided by my Department to support increased running costs for recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme, in particular in dealing with challenges they face in the light of rising energy costs.

This additional grant was paid at the rate of €75 per pupil at Primary level and €113 at Post-Primary level. Enhanced rates were also paid in respect of pupils with Special Educational needs. Further details are available in Circular 0077/2022 available on my Department’s website and may be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/circular/467fa-once-off-cost-of-living-measure-to-support-increased-school-running-costs/

In the context of the current cost of living crisis I would expect this very significant additional funding made available to schools is sufficient to meet increased running costs.In addition to this 40% increase in grant funding in Budget 2023 to cover increased running costs, my Department has been supporting schools to access lower prices for some time.

Significant work has been carried out at Department level in order to support all schools in their procurement and use of energy supplies.

My Department has ensured in recent years that centrally negotiated rates were made available to schools for electricity and bulk heating fuels through frameworks sourced by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). Central rates are fixed for gas and electricity for those availing of those arrangements at present.

A significant number of schools have engaged with this and are availing of highly competitive energy prices. It is planned to run future competitions to ensure that bulk rates continue to be available from 2024 onwards. Information on how to avail of these arrangements is available via the Schools Procurement Unit website, www.spu.ie

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

Budget 2023 provided for the provision of funding from the Climate Action Fund in relation to the provision of photovoltaic panels in schools up to 6 kW output. This is really positive news for our schools and will assist with their energy needs and costs along with supporting the decarbonisation of our school buildings. My officials are working closely with colleagues in the Department of Environment, Climate and Communication in relation to the arrangements for this scheme.

As part of the preparation for the roll-out of the national programme, a key first step was to establish the level of existing PV installations in schools. The primary school capacity survey is nearly complete, and the post-primary is concluded, and indications are that nearly 10% of post-primary schools have solar PV panels, and 5% of primary schools. The rollout of the solar panel scheme is expected to commence later this year, and will be a fully funded multi-annual programme.

The scheme will include technology that will facilitate display on a digital information screen in the building general purpose area, the solar energy generation on each school from the panels. This will display in real time to the staff and pupils the renewable energy generation profile, this data can be used by students if required during classes and for their projects.

Furthermore my Department provides funding to all recognised schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating, lighting, etc. and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. These grants may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can draw according to its own priorities.