Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 379: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the warmer homes scheme; the number of persons who have been contacted in connection with this scheme who are in receipt of fuel allowance; the number availing of this offer; the number who are expected to have works carried out under the warmer homes scheme; the estimated cost of this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34860/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Warmer Homes Scheme (WHS), which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department, provides energy efficiency improvements to homes in, or at risk of, energy poverty. The scheme is delivered through a combination of community based organisations (CBOs) and a panel of private contractors. The SEAI and the CBOs identify and address vulnerable homes, in partnership with local networks of community support and poverty organisations, which include public health nurses, MABS and St. Vincent De Paul. Since the inception of the WHS in 2000, almost 62,000 low income homes have been upgraded with energy efficiency measures.

The SEAI has worked closely with the Department of Social Protection to identify vulnerable homes, and have conducted a mail shot directed at the 46,000 homes in receipt of Fuel Allowance. The mail shot was dispatched in July 2010, and comprised information on the scheme and the application process. Some 12,500 applications have been received to date, and it is estimated that approximately 15,000 eligible homes will be identified through this process.

The funding allocation to the programme has been significantly increased over the course of 2009 and 2010. This has enabled the programme to scale up both in terms of geographic coverage and depth of works undertaken in individual homes, and the scheme is now available on a nationwide basis. The 2010 Allocation for the WHS for is €29.81 million, and it is expected that 22,500 homes will be improved under the scheme this year.