Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Either I am a bit dim-witted or we are at cross purposes. I am not sure I understand what the Deputy means in respect of the pension levy. What does that have to do with retrofit? My predecessor provided for €65 million in the budget of 2011. My colleague, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, acceded to my request that an additional €30 million be made available, bringing the total to €95 million. In the event, €91 million was spent.

This year the Government has provided for €76 million to be spent on better energy, which is something of a reduction in keeping with all the other reductions across the board we have had to make in order to make fiscal targets. However, it is still a significant investment in this area, given the times we face. I explained to the Deputy that what I am trying to do is maintain the momentum because interest has been stimulated among people who realise they can make significant savings in their energy bills if they do this work. I am trying to maintain that momentum until I get to the stage where the pay as one saves scheme will be in operation. When it does, in a partnership between the energy supply companies and the banks, there will be a model where the householder can make an application and pay for the work from the savings that accrue over three or four years, whatever time it takes. That is the model we are working on at present. It is rather complex but it is very important that it is not too complex for the citizen to access.

I do not pretend to be stupid but I genuinely do not understand the Deputy's point about our taking such a sum from the pension levy and thereby giving only so much to retrofitting. One could say, equally, that such a sum was taken in the levy but only so much was given to health or environment. I do not know why the Deputy is putting it on my head.

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