Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is a problem. I spoke at the International Energy Agency meeting in Paris before the summer and talked about the pilot warmth and well-being scheme. It took me half an hour to get down through the auditorium afterwards given the number of Ministers who were coming up to me from right across the globe in regard to this.

With regard to the warmer homes scheme for 2017, up to the end of August 4,515 homes received an energy efficiency upgrade under the scheme, with capital expenditure of €11.5 million. By the end of the year, we expect to spend €21.2 million in providing upgrades in relation to that.

On the expansion of the warmer homes scheme, the Deputy's question is one I ask myself because there is a small bit of ground west of the River Shannon to which it would be nice to see it extended. It is a phenomenal scheme. It needs to be ramped up significantly right across this country. The decisions on locations were made by the HSE, not by our Department, sadly. I know of a few locations I would like to be considered. The empirical evidence that will start coming through from the end of this year will give us grounds for making a case to expand the scheme, not just to other parts of Dublin but to parts across the country.

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