Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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The situation varies from local authority to local authority. Some of the local authorities have done very good work to increase the energy efficiency of homes. That is to be welcomed and the more of it, the better. Individual local authorities have engineers who are focusing specifically on this type of work and who have expertise in the area.

The correspondence states:

Local authorities are asked to ensure that the average cost per home drawn down under the programme is circa €36,000, including project management fees. Adhering to this average would ensure the maximum number of homes can be retrofitted ...

The cost of the works seems to be coming in around that figure. I do not have an answer to the following point. Some of the premises that are being retrofitted were built in the 1990s and others in the 2000s. We also need to consider houses that were built in 1937 and that have not yet been touched. I have raised this issue with the Minister. It is something we should continue to push in our political groups. Perhaps next year we should try to get external wraparounds on those older houses.