Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, administers the better energy programme, which includes the better energy homes and warmer homes and workplaces schemes. Exchequer funding of €76.146 million has been allocated to the better energy programme in 2012, which is projected to deliver 597 GWh in energy savings this year and is the equivalent of €34.2 million in the value of energy saved. The original budget allocation for the better energy programme for 2011 was €60 million. This was supplemented by the Government on taking office with an additional €30 million under the jobs stimulus package, with the total outturn for 2011 amounting to €94 million. Based upon the SEAI's analysis, the funding supported the retention of more than 5,700 jobs for 2011 as a whole. While the measurement of jobs created and retained is complex, the SEAI continues to monitor the relative labour intensity of the better energy programme.

Since the start of 2012, there has been a notable decrease in applications across all measures in the better energy homes programme. Analysis by the SEAI suggests a number of factors have impacted upon the level of new applications, including milder weather, reduced disposable income and some misconceptions about the continued availability of grants. The SEAI continues to analyse the trends and underlying causes to inform decisions about the programme in the context of budget 2013. In light of that, and to optimise the use of remaining funding for the rest of the year, I recently approved a reallocation within the better energy budget to enhance the funding allocated for better energy warmer homes and better energy workplaces. This reallocation will support the retention of jobs in the retrofitting sector by redirecting funding towards areas of continued strong demand and related levels of economic activity in the sector. It is the case that the notable decrease in better homes applications will have an impact, as yet unquantified, on the retrofitting industry.

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