Schools to be offered grants to help lower bills

SCHOOLS are to be offered grants to help reduce their spiralling water and energy bills, including funding for insulation similar to that recently announced for homeowners.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe will announce details soon but said he has not yet been able to secure a definitive sum for the Summer Works Scheme which was cancelled last year.

He said in light of complaints from schools about electricity costs and water charges, he will introduce a scheme emphasising the conservation of energy and water. All schools must pay their local council a e4 water charge for every pupil annually, but they will be charged for actual water usage when metered billing is introduced next year.