Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The focus of programme C is the delivery of key elements of the Government's energy policy. The programme provides €9.4 million to cover the operational cost of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and over €90 million in capital funding for the sustainable energy research programmes. The €72.5 million provided for the better energy grant programmes, operated by the SEAI, include the better energy home scheme to provide grants towards a range of energy efficiency measures to home owners, the better energy warmer home scheme to deliver a range of energy efficiency measures free-of-charge to low income households and the better energy communities programme to encourage community-based partnerships to improve the thermal and electrical efficiency of the building stock and poor energy homes.

The three schemes are anticipated to deliver energy savings of 182 gigawatts per hour in 2017 and will provide around 8,200 low-income homes with energy efficiency measures while continuing to stimulate activity in the retrofit industry, supporting approximately 3,000 jobs. The energy programme also provides for expenditure to fund applied energy research and demonstration programmes and projects.