I want to ask about the roll-out of solar panels for schools which was announced in the budget last year. It is a sensible measure to assist schools with their energy costs, to provide lighting, to power whiteboards etc and to heat meals under the expanded hot school meals programme. When I visit schools and am asked when they will get their solar panels, what should I tell the teachers and pupils?

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important question. I want to see solar panels on the roof of every school and I believe the Government should fund it, in the same way we have funded broadband for every school. The future is digital and green. It may be more about hearts and minds than watts and megawatts, but hearts and minds count, as I think we will all agree. We are very keen to have solar panels on every school. The Departments of Education and Environment, Climate and Communications are working on this at the moment. They are developing a scheme to fund solar panels with an output of up to 6 kW in schools. The Ministers, Deputies Foley and Eamon Ryan, hope to announce the scheme as soon as possible. They expect the scheme to commence later this year. It will be a multiannual programme. The important first step was to establish the level of existing insulation in schools and a capacity survey is nearly complete. A positive announcement will come soon from the Ministers, Deputies Foley and Eamon Ryan.