Ms Aileen Duffy:

I thank the committee for the opportunity to discuss this important issue. I am accompanied today by my colleague, Mr. Jim Scheer, who is the head of policy insights and design.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, is Ireland’s national energy authority funded by the Government through the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Our mission is to help Ireland transition to a low-carbon society, meeting challenging sustainable energy targets along the way. One of SEAI’s core values is that the work we do is people-centred and that we reach, empower and take account of all citizens in the transition away from fossil fuels.

The SEAI’s programmes and supports are designed to take account of the citizen, communities, businesses, individual householders and the vulnerable. However, to achieve reach the ambition detailed in the Government’s recently-published climate action plan, there is to be a sharp acceleration of climate action and the SEAI is highly conscious of the need to be vigilant; that with this positive, albeit challenging, transition that everyone is factored in and no citizen is left behind.

As part of our role, the SEAI provides policy advice and analysis to our parent department, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. We provided significant inputs to the climate action plan and are very encouraged by the ambition set out with concrete actions, clear timelines and responsible agents. At the same time, we are in no doubt that there are huge challenges ahead with delivering these ambitions, for example retrofitting 500,000 homes to a B2 rating or cost-optimal level. We wholeheartedly welcome the clear acknowledgement by the Government throughout the plan that for this transition to be a success, there is a critical need to understand, include and empower, rather than merely impose. The establishment of the just transition review group within the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, will help to ensure this and we look forward to contributing.

The climate action plan pays particular attention to those groups who will need special support and assistance: those who will suffer job losses or business decline as fossil fuel industries wind down; those who struggle to afford sufficient heat for their homes; and, in general, those in our communities who must be mobilised and empowered to ensure we have the capacity needed to deliver.

As part of our remit, SEAI is already significantly involved in a range of areas that support a just transition. On addressing fuel poverty, SEAI has been running the warmer homes scheme since 2001, upgrading over 140,000 homes of those in, or at risk of, fuel poverty. The scheme has expanded to provide deeper measures in the past 18 months, leading to increased comfort, improved health and on-bill energy savings. A full review of the programme is currently being carried out to see how targeting and impact can be further enhanced. The scheme budget for 2020 has benefitted from carbon tax ring-fencing of €13 million, bringing the total 2020 budget to almost €53 million.

Since 2016, the SEAI has been running a warmth and well-being pilot scheme in collaboration with the HSE. This scheme has targeted over 1,500 homes in fuel poverty where the occupants are suffering from chronic respiratory conditions. The research outcomes on the impact of energy efficiency on occupants' health are highly anticipated in Ireland and internationally. These programmes and their learnings will be critical in ensuring our most vulnerable are protected and included.

The SEAI is taking several actions to contribute to the development of the necessary skills and making the most of supply chain opportunities. For example, we have been involved in the development of a national training specification on near zero energy buildings. This specification is due for publication shortly and, as per the climate plan, will be rolled out at a national level through SOLAS and the Department of Education and Skills.

In 2020, we will review our 2014 supply chain opportunity report, highlighting opportunities for Irish businesses to capture growth in sectors facilitating the transition. With our first experience of delivering retrofit programmes for homes and businesses, we are also advising other organisations. Recently we met the midlands regional transition team, sharing insights from our retrofit programmes. We continue to support Government in our policy advisory role in the areas of energy statistics and modelling, research, design and development and sustainable business and finance model development including one-stop shops and aggregation models.

The SEAI has been working with communities for many years, recognising the importance of grass roots action in delivering our mission. Our community energy network goes from strength to strength, with 320 member communities across the country. We have an ambition to grow this network to 1,500 by 2030. Through this scheme, the SEAI provides supports for communities to identify their own opportunities and create a vision for their local area. We provide funding for development of local energy master plans and technical support via a panel of expert mentors.

Our community capital grants are mobilising action at a local level with around 300 projects delivered to date and a further 57 projects added in 2019. So far, this scheme has delivered sustainable energy upgrades to over 18,000 homes and 2,000 community buildings and businesses across Ireland. Community upgrades of this nature enrol broad cross sections of the community, achieve economies of scale driving down delivery costs, and importantly, generate conversations around the activity delivered at a local level.

The SEAI is committed to deliver as best we can on the ambitions set out in the climate action plan and will continue to put the citizen at the centre of our programmes as we deliver on Government policy goals. We look forward to working with those here today, and others, on this task. We are happy to take questions today focused on our low-income homes support programmes in particular and on other activities in which we are a stakeholder supporting a just transition away from fossil fuels.