Ms Clare O'Connor:

I will take the question on heat pumps first. Ultimately, the SEAI heat study that in 2022 said that the primary focus, if we are to reach net zero by 2050 - I wish it was 2030 - has to be on the electrification of our heating system, which will be primarily through heat pumps. There is a piece that has to be done on energy efficiency before we can install heat pumps in the majority of houses but that does mean we need to ramp up our retrofitting efforts first. We must ensure that we are focused on getting deep retrofit measures done in as many homes as possible so that we can install heat pumps.

The current requirements to get heat pumps installed in homes are quite high with regard to the heat loss indicator. The SEAI is currently piloting a scheme whereby it reduces the heat loss indicator and has slightly reduced the requirements needed for heat pumps to go into homes. As heat pumps improve, and their efficiency improves, it will not require the complete airtightness that has been required. Electrification of the national heating systems is the solution, based on the SEAI heat study, as well as district heating in urban areas that have access to waste heat.

On the question about private rental properties, we recommend that eligibility for the warmer homes scheme be expanded to include tenants in the private rental sector who receive HAP. Such a provision would target low-income renters. The Housing for All policy promised to introduce minimum BERs in the private rental sector from 2025. Unfortunately, we have not heard much about that. Next year will be 2025, yet no notice has been issued to landlords to let them know that a minimum BER requirement will be introduced for the private rental sector.

The regulatory piece really will be key to address that split incentive issue where landlords might not want their tenants to get it long term.

On expanding the warmer homes scheme to HAP tenants, it is very important that a long-term lease is offered to HAP tenants alongside the full deep retrofit as well so there is not that risk of "renovictions" or them getting evicted from their home while these retrofits are being carried out. When the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage officials come in later, we encourage the committee to perhaps ask about the status of the introduction of the minimum BERs and where exactly that is at the moment. Unfortunately, we are not hearing the communication and engagement that would be needed with landlords at the moment.

On social housing, a lot of the local authorities have hit the low-hanging fruit. A huge increase in funding will be needed for the retrofit programme realistically to deal with inflation and so on. A total of €85 million in 2022 and €90 million in 2024 was allocated to the scheme but that needs to increase again. The Department really needs to focus on retrofitting the worst performing local authority stock first if it is serious about tackling energy poverty. This is very important.