Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
477. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a breakdown of the number of schools that have availed of the scheme to install solar panels on their roof; the number of completed installations; the number that applied and are on a waiting list; the number that applied and were unsuccessful, broken down by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73786/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Schools PV Programme provides eligible schools with up to 6 kilowatts peak of roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) installations on their roofs, which equates to approximately 14 solar panels.
The Schools PV Programme is funded by the Government’s Climate Action Fund in line with the Government’s recognition that taking action on climate change is central to Ireland’s social and economic development. It is assisting schools in reducing their energy costs and carbon footprint as part of the response to meeting the 2030 and 2050 Climate Action Plan targets for the schools’ sector.
All eligible schools have now been invited to express their interest in the scheme. Since the launch of the programme late last year, there has been a really positive response in terms of applications for solar panels from schools and we are seeing the impacts today as PV panels are being installed on school roofs around the country.
Since the launch of the programme in November 2023,
• 3,300 schools who expressed interest in the scheme have progressed to tender stage,
• 3,073 schools so far approved for funding.
• 2,416 schools have confirmed their installations as complete.
There is no waiting list of schools; however, 200 schools have progressed to the tender stage and have yet to submit their funding requests to the Department.
Of the schools that expressed an interest in the scheme, 355 confirmed that they would not participate or were deemed ineligible. Reasons include schools scheduled to receive PV as part of another building project, buildings that are not suitable for PV installation, or schools that already have PV installed.
There are also approximately 200 schools who have not yet engaged with the scheme programme to date, Department Officials are contacting these schools again to seek their engagement with the PV Programme.
See below table of schools who completed the expression of interest stage per county:
|
County |
Total Expressions of Interest received |
|
Carlow |
51 |
|
Cavan |
81 |
|
Clare |
126 |
|
Cork |
396 |
|
Donegal |
200 |
|
Dublin |
587 |
|
Galway |
273 |
|
Kerry |
161 |
|
Kildare |
120 |
|
Kilkenny |
90 |
|
Laois |
68 |
|
Leitrim |
44 |
|
Limerick |
163 |
|
Longford |
44 |
|
Louth |
82 |
|
Mayo |
173 |
|
Meath |
126 |
|
Monaghan |
65 |
|
Offaly |
78 |
|
Roscommon |
94 |
|
Sligo |
74 |
|
Tipperary |
179 |
|
Waterford |
92 |
|
Westmeath |
84 |
|
Wexford |
121 |
|
Wicklow |
102 |
|
Total |
3675 |
See below list of applications per county that do not meet the programme funding criteria:
|
County |
Applications that do not meet programme criteria |
|
Carlow |
6 |
|
Cavan |
2 |
|
Clare |
5 |
|
Cork |
40 |
|
Donegal |
15 |
|
Dublin |
108 |
|
Galway |
11 |
|
Kerry |
6 |
|
Kildare |
17 |
|
Kilkenny |
7 |
|
Laois |
5 |
|
Leitrim |
3 |
|
Limerick |
13 |
|
Longford |
2 |
|
Louth |
7 |
|
Mayo |
9 |
|
Meath |
20 |
|
Monaghan |
5 |
|
Offaly |
6 |
|
Roscommon |
3 |
|
Sligo |
4 |
|
Tipperary |
14 |
|
Waterford |
6 |
|
Westmeath |
8 |
|
Wexford |
6 |
|
Wicklow |
9 |
|
Total |
337 |
See below completed installations per county to date:
|
Carlow |
32 |
|
Cavan |
64 |
|
Clare |
110 |
|
Cork |
235 |
|
Donegal |
170 |
|
Dublin |
280 |
|
Galway |
220 |
|
Kerry |
142 |
|
Kildare |
56 |
|
Kilkenny |
74 |
|
Laois |
42 |
|
Leitrim |
30 |
|
Limerick |
125 |
|
Longford |
27 |
|
Louth |
38 |
|
Mayo |
107 |
|
Meath |
63 |
|
Monaghan |
41 |
|
Offaly |
61 |
|
Roscommon |
74 |
|
Sligo |
39 |
|
Tipperary |
126 |
|
Waterford |
70 |
|
Westmeath |
45 |
|
Wexford |
76 |
|
Wicklow |
69 |
|
Total |
2416 |
