Two local schools in latest phase of retrofitting programme
Offaly schools have been included in the latest phase of the school retrofitting pathfinder programme, announced by Minister for Education Norma Foley and Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications Ossian Smyth.
Daingean National School and Coláiste Naomh Cormac will benefit from a significant energy upgrade under this scheme, according to local Minister of State Pippa Hackett.
Up to 14 schools will be retrofitted and upgraded to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B as part of the project with renewable heating to reduce their CO2 emissions by 51 per cent.
There is a targeted budget of €50 million for this new phase of the Schools Energy Retrofit Pathfinder Programme. It is being jointly funded by the Department of Education and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
The programme will be administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Department of Education, with delivery support from Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB).
“I am delighted to see not one but two Offaly schools included in the latest phase of the school retrofitting programme. Daingean National School and Coláiste Naomh Cormac will benefit from a significant energy upgrade under this scheme," said Minister Hackett.
"The whole school community will benefit from more comfortable facilities and lower energy bills and the wider community will benefit from reduced emissions.
"I believe that major projects like these, which will be the focal point for these two Offaly communities over the coming months, are beacons for the change which we must all embrace. I wish all involved at school level the very best with this retrofit project and for 2024 in general. This is the Green effect in Government,“ she ended.
Cllr Mark Hackett added “ I am particularly delighted to see a North Offaly school included in this phase of retrofit. I have seen the transformative effect this programme has for a school and I am excited for the pupils and staff of Daingean NS to enjoy these improvements.
"When we see these changes on the ground and in our communities we are encouraged to make changes ourselves, however small. There are free or low cost energy efficiencies we can all make to lower our emissions.”
Around €110 million has already been spent to date retrofitting 53 schools across Ireland under the Pathfinder Programme since 2017, with work on another 11 schools currently at various stages of progress.
Education Minister Foley said the programme was helping to test solutions for reducing emissions in a broad range of different school buildings.