Minister Foley welcomes €81 million in EU funding for school building retrofit
Foilsithe
An t-eolas is déanaí
Teanga: Níl leagan Gaeilge den mhír seo ar fáil.
Foilsithe
An t-eolas is déanaí
Teanga: Níl leagan Gaeilge den mhír seo ar fáil.
Minster for Education Norma Foley TD has today announced that 40 schools across five counties have been shortlisted for an energy retrofit programme as part of an €81 million EU funding package.
This is part of a package of funding totalling €240 million which Ireland has secured under the REPowerEU Programme. REPowerEU is the EU’s plan to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, boost the independence and security of the Union’s energy supply and accelerate the green transition.
A pool of 40 schools across five counties (Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Wicklow and Wexford) have been included in the initial assessment phase. Schools ultimately selected for inclusion in the programme will be given a deep retrofit to achieve a Building Energy Rating (BER) of at least B by installing heatpumps, LED lighting and mechanical heat recovery ventilation. The fabric and airtightness of the schools will also be upgraded and electric car chargers will be installed.
Minister Foley said:
“I am pleased to announce that the Department of Education has been successful in obtaining such a significant level of funding through this REPowerEU programme.
“I welcome that forty schools have been shortlisted for inclusion in this Programme. The schools approved for an energy retrofit will enjoy significantly better energy performance and a more comfortable teaching and learning environment.”
The €81 million funding to the Department of Education represents the largest of the five investments included in Ireland’s funding allocation for its National Recovery and Resilience Plan. It will add to the number of schools being given deep retrofits under the existing school pathfinder decarbonisation and retrofit programme.
Minister Foley said:
“It is really positive to see the results of the extensive collaboration between my department, the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the Commission in having this formally adopted through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.”
The schools which will benefit from the retrofitting funding were part of a pilot phase of the Schools Energy Inventory project. This project covered schools in Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Wicklow and Wexford. It was completed with support from the European Investment Bank.
In developing the Schools Energy Inventory, each school is surveyed by an experienced construction professional using a survey tool developed by the Department of Education. Up to 130 pieces of data are collected at each school, including high level building areas and types of different fabric elements and information about lighting, heating and domestic hot water etc.
This data is entered on a tablet computer onsite, imported into the department’s Geographical Information System (GIS), then processed into a relational database which performs numerous calculations to determine a School Energy and Carbon Estimated Rating (SEACER).
The funding announced today will facilitate completion of the energy survey of all schools in the 21 remaining counties.
This consolidated database has significant potential to assist with future prioritisation of decarbonisation and investments in the school estate, enabling identification and targeted development of future school sector energy and decarbonisation programmes that will reduce overall reliance on fossil fuels and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy.
The new funding for the extended pathfinder programme is targeted at schools of a scale and size that will enable the works to be completed over a single school term/summer holiday period. This means that the schools selected for inclusion are typically eight to ten-classroom primary schools and post-primary schools with similar floor area.
While 40 schools across the five counties have been selected for initial assessment, final decisions on schools to be included in the programme will take account of a range of factors, including the scope of works required in the individual school following detailed assessment by design teams, procurement considerations, and the need to remain within both budgetary and time parameters.
Roll_Number | School_Name | Address | Town | County |
13165G | KILBERRY N S | Kilberry | Athy | Kildare |
16654N | S N BRIGHDE | Milltown | Newbridge | Kildare |
17567A | ALMHAINE N S | Kilmeague | Naas | Kildare |
17650K | S N IDE | Kilmead | Athy | Kildare |
18430B | S N BAILE ROIBEAIRD | Robertstown | Co. Kildare | Kildare |
20087D | KILLASHEE MULTI-DENOMINATIONAL NS | KILCULLEN ROAD | NAAS | Kildare |
70670R | Colaiste Lorcain | Castledermot | Kildare | Co. Kildare |
19797E | SCOIL NAISIUNTA BHRIDE | Prosperous Road | Clane | Kildare |
12488C | GILSON NATIONAL SCHOOL | Church Street | Oldcastle | Meath |
17088L | Scoil Uí Ghramhnaigh | Ráth Chairn | Áth Buí | Meath |
17652O | SCOIL OILIBHEIR NAOFA | Kilcloon | Meath | |
17741N | SCOIL NAIS AITINN BHUI | Beauparc | Navan | Meath |
17947K | SCOIL NAOMH BRIDE | Batterstown | Trim | Meath |
18040L | S N NAOMH PADRAIG | Collon Road | Slane | Meath |
18448U | S N RATH BEAGAIN | Rathbeggan | Dunshaughlin | Meath |
71991T | Coláiste Pobail Rath Cairn | Ráth Chairn | Áth Buí | Meath |
03220F | MERCY PRIMARY SCHOOL | Chapel Lane | Birr | Offaly |
12343W | SHINRONE MIXED N S | Shinrone | Birr | Offaly |
13118U | CLARA CONVENT N S | Kilbeggan | Road Clara | Offaly |
17508H | S N NAOMH CHOLUMCHILLE | DURROW | TULLAMORE | Offaly |
18364O | St Patrick's National School | Gilroy Avenue | Edenderry | Offaly |
20289P | St. Cynoc's National School | Ferbane | Co. Offaly | Offaly |
65620V | Sacred Heart Secondary School | Daingean Road | Tullamore | Offaly |
09191I | GEASHILL N S | Geashill | Co. Offaly | Offaly |
06959G | CLONROCHE N S | Clonroche | Enniscorthy | Wexford |
14254K | S N MHUIRE | Danescastle | Carrig-on-Bannow | Wexford |
16879O | S N CLOCHAR MHUIRE | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Wexford |
17235V | S N CHAOMHAIN TORRCHOILL (St Kevins Tarahill) | GOREY | CO WEXFORD | Wexford |
17554O | S N NMH SEOSAIMH | Hilltown | Ballymitty | Wexford |
17812K | ST MARYS N S | Parnell Avenue | Enniscorthy | Wexford |
19266T | OUR LADY OF FATIMA SP S | CARRIGEEN STREET | WEXFORD | Wexford |
63630O | Our Lady of Lourdes Secondary School | Rosbercon | New Ross Wexford | |
15676S | PADRAIG NAOFA N S | St Patricks Road | Wicklow | Wicklow |
17223O | S N MUIRE IS GEARARD | St. Mary's & St. Gerard's NS | Enniskerry | Wicklow |
17810G | S N Nicolais Naofa | DUNLUAIN | CILL MHANTAIN | Wicklow |
18033O | KILCOMMON N S | Kilcommon | Tinahely | Wicklow |
18242A | CARNEW N S | Carnew | Arklow | Wicklow |
19754J | BRAY SCHOOL PROJECT N S | BALLYWALTRIM | Bray | Wicklow |
20469R | St John's Senior School | Coolgreaney Road | Arklow | Wicklow |
70750P | Scoil Chonglais | Baltinglass | Co Wicklow | Wicklow |
Project Name | Department / Project Lead | |
Investments | ||
Upscaling a Biomethane Industry in Ireland | Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine | |
Drogheda Charging Infrastructure | Department of Transport | |
HSE Pilot Energy & Decarbonisation Pathfinder | Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications | |
Expanded School Sector Pathfinder decarbonisation and retrofit Programme | Department of Education | |
Restoration and Refurbishment of 6 Ely Place | Office of Public Works | |
Reform | ||
Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS) | Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications |
More information can be found the Government and European Commission websites at: