Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

As no one has finished up the greener home scheme, that point does not stand. In order to get this right, our approach was correct, namely, to start with a pilot and test it out because this is highly innovative and different from what applies elsewhere. I believe the home energy savings scheme is exactly right. I am told by Sustainable Energy Ireland that expanding it to €20 million next year demonstrates an appropriate level of ambition in respect of being able to manage the new assessors and the processing of the scheme. However, ambitions are not limited in that if there is a huge take-up, I would like to see it ramped up further because I believe it is the correct type of project with which the Government can generate economic activity at present.

A key development is the State's involvement will not constitute the only expenditure in this regard. I have been in discussions with the banks to ascertain whether it can be made more easy for householders to be given credit for such a project. The State's input may constitute 20% or 30% of the total. For example, in a €10,000 build, the State's investment, in respect of supports, might be in the order of €2,000. However, other funding and financing will be available from the banks that will allow householders to do this more easily. Saving €700 per year is a brilliant payback and constitutes a really good lending investment, compared to some of the other lending that has taken place in recent years, which helps householders to cut down their emissions by approximately 3 tonnes per annum each, helps them to save on their fuel bills by approximately €700 per year each and provides Ireland with economic activity in an area in which none is taking place.

This scheme is perfectly appropriate for our times. I was proud to be able to introduce it and it is working in the areas in which it has been tried and tested and I look forward to rolling it out across the rest of the country.

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