Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2024
135. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if schools are eligible to apply for Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland grants to reduce their energy costs and greenhouse emissions. [7549/24]
View answerMy Department funds a range of energy supports administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), which schools can avail of.
The Public Sector Schools Pathfinder Programme is a capital retrofit programme co-funded between SEAI and the Department of Education. It provides capital supports to improve energy efficiency and decarbonise school buildings. The selection of schools for participation in the programme is a matter for the Minister for Education. The following video is a very good demonstration of the impact the existing Pathfinder programme is having: www.youtube.com/watch?v=StTxcGm2SbQ
In January this year, Ministers Foley and Smyth launched the next phase of the SEAI/Education Pathfinder, under which a further 14 schools will be retrofit. See merrionstreet.ie/en/news-room/news/ministers_foley_and_smyth_launch_next_phase_of_school_retrofitting_programme.176517.shortcut.html
The Energy in Education Programme, developed by the SEAI in partnership with the Department of Education, provides basic energy management training and knowledge sharing for schools. The Programme includes advice, mentoring and assessment to identify short term and longer term energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities. The programme also offers energy advisory and mentoring supports.
The Public Sector Energy Efficiency Programme is an energy management and advisory programme, which provides comprehensive supports and engagement, including training and the sharing of best practices, to help guide public sector bodies and schools in delivering energy efficiency improvements.
The Communities Energy Grant is part of the Government's National Retrofit Programme aimed at upgrading building stock and facilities to high standards of energy efficiency and renewable energy usage, thereby reducing fossil fuel usage, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The Grant supports cross-sectoral and community-oriented partnership approaches that deliver energy savings to a range of building types including public (including schools), commercial and community buildings with a particular focus on using the projects to deliver home retrofits. All projects include a community benefit and include a cross-sectoral approach.
The Schools Solar PV Programme is a devolved programme based on programme guidance prepared by the Department of Education and is funded from the Climate Action Fund. The Programme will fund up to 6kWp of roof-mounted solar PV for all eligible schools and includes connection to the grid and a monitoring system and display screen. The first phase of the Schools PV Programme, which includes over 1,600 schools across 11 areas, opened for applications in November 2023. The intention is to include a further eight counties in phase two in Q2 2024 and the remaining counties in Q4 2024. It is intended that all eligible schools across the country will have the opportunity to apply to the scheme by end 2024. 1436 schools have expressed an interest in the scheme to date with 1391 of those progressed to tender stage.
Further information on energy management and training for schools is available on the SEAI website at www.seai.ie/community-energy/schools/save-energy-at-school/.
