Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

As to the advice given by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, which administers the scheme, its assessment of the €76.146 million is that it will create or sustain 4,500 jobs. That is the SEAI's advice as of today. Almost all of the budget for 2011 has been spent. The uptake, which was high in 2011, has decreased in the first two months of 2012. I have asked the SEAI to give me an analysis of this decline. Prices in the marketplace are more competitive and the scheme has been finessed as it has progressed. The idea was to kick-start awareness of the merits of energy efficiency, for all of the reasons Deputy Collins cited. However, whether as a result of the finessing of the grant levels, the exceptionally mild winter or some other reason, the figures are down, as the Deputy noted. I am not sure one can make a judgment on the basis of two months and I have asked the SEAI to report to me on the matter.

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