Mr. Seamus Hoyne:

I thank the Deputy for that great question. The most recent update I have is that there are now five fully registered one-stop shops through the SEAI registration system. I understand that the SEAI is working through the process with others. To give some more comprehensive information on the one-stop shops, from Electric Ireland's perspective, it has grown from a Tipperary-based activity. The vision now for Electric Ireland Superhomes is that we operate nationally. The majority of the one-stop shops that are through the registration system are on a national basis. It is open for a potential homeowner in Cork, Tipperary, Donegal or Dublin to engage with any of the one-stop shops to obtain a service. Critical to the one-stop shops is that they will work with contractors in the regions and localities that the homeowner is in. For example, we in Electric Ireland Superhomes are building up that bank of contractors we work with, as are many other of the one-stop shops. Regarding the ambition for Electric Ireland Superhomes, we have a very challenging growth scenario to get to 8,500 retrofits per annum by 2031. That is a cumulative figure of 35,000 to 40,000 between now and 2031.

That equates to approximately 8% of the target of 500,000. As for whether 19 or 20 one-stop shops are enough, in general they should be if there is an equal spread.

In regard to whether there will be a disadvantage depending on the geographical distribution of those one-stop shops, I honestly do not think so because the one-stop shops are working to develop the capacity of the contractors in localities and the regions. It is important that we get that retrofitting expertise throughout the country. It cannot be dependent on a limited number of contractors. These are minor works for existing buildings and we need to do them well. We need to design the systems properly and get them installed, and get the upgrade works done properly within the buildings. To do that, we need to upskill and develop the capacity of existing small and medium enterprises, SMEs, within the regions. That is where the economic benefit will come into the country and the regions through the national retrofit plan. The one-stop shops will scale up the delivery, but the retrofits will be delivered on the ground by the construction companies and the SMEs. On balance, the analysis shows that 20 one-stop shops will be able to deliver the capacity needed, but behind those one-stop shops will have to be a large number of contractors to be able to deliver that work.