Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of persons that have availed of sustainable energy grants during 2012; the range of funding provided for these grants; the total sum awarded; the type of work covered by these grants; the breakdown by county of the grants awarded; his plans to continue the scheme next year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48703/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Programme. Better Energy: Homes provides financial assistance to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar thermal panels and accompanying BER. The grants range from €200 for attic insulation to €3,600 for external wall insulation and the average grant value per household in 2012 is €1,100. Better Energy: Homes is a demand-led programme. From the start of 2012 to 31st October 2012, the scheme disbursed over €25.9m in grants and supported the installation of almost 64,000 measures in over 23,000 homes.

Better Energy: Warmer Homes delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to households that are vulnerable to energy poverty and is 100% funded by the Exchequer. The measures include attic insulation, draught proofing, lower energy light bulbs, energy advice, and cavity wall insulation, when appropriate. The scheme is managed by the SEAI and delivered through a range of Community Based Organisations (CBOs), augmented by a panel of private contractors in order to ensure national coverage. From the start of 2012 to 31st October 2012, the scheme has disbursed over €9.3m in Exchequer funds and supported the delivery of energy efficiency upgrades to over 7,400 homes.

The following tables provide a breakdown of the number of homes, measures and geographical distribution of grants paid under Better Energy Homes and Better Energy Warmer Homes from January to October 2012.

Table 1

Number of homes and measures completed under Better Energy Homes and Better Energy Warmer Homes

(Jan - Oct 2012)

Table 2

Breakdown of measures completed under Better Energy Homes (Jan - Oct 2012)

Table 3

Number of homes by County completed under Better Energy Homes and Better Energy Warmer Homes

(Jan - Oct 2012)

Future plans for the Better Energy Programme will be taken in the context of the Estimates provision for 2013 for my Department which will be decided in the context of Budget 2013.