Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am aware of the criticism of how difficult it can be in some parts of the country to get the retrofitting work done. We have tried to recognise that in having a relevant period from 2023 to 2025. I accept there is a risk there and there may not be enough operators available to do the work. The Department will need to review that in due course and decide whether the scheme needs to be amended in any way. However, for this reason the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is increasing the number of retrofit centres of excellence from three to five by the end of this year and has provided €17 million for retrofit and for nearly-zero energy building training to support 4,450 training places for this year. Those measures should over time lead to more people being available to do this work. However, I accept that in some parts of the country there is considerable demand for this work to happen and not enough people available to carry it out. We will need to review the operation of the scheme in the years ahead.