Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy Michael Moynihan, I should clarify that the energy efficiency fund has not been set up to replace the retrofit scheme but is in addition to it. The difficulty in respect of domestic retrofitting - I agree with the points made by Deputies Michael Moynihan and MichaelColreavy - is that it is a grants-based incentive, but in the programme for Government we have committed to making the transition from a grants-based incentive scheme to a pay-as-you-save model. Work is well advanced on it and the scheme will be announced later in the year. As te focus of the energy efficiency fund is on public and commercial buildings, clients may bid to join the fund to have public buildings, for example, hospitals, refurbished and retrofitted, bringing a big saving in energy costs and a big employment spin-off. I appreciate the welcome of colleagues in the House for this initiative.

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