Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

There is a significant further increase in funding for next year. There is €109 million for the warmer home schemes. I understand the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has allocated €85 million for local authority housing. From memory, I understand approximately €120 million has also been allocated. A significant budget is available. That will not be the constraint. The first constraint will be in the public uptake. The second constraint will be the availability of workers. That is why the State is also investing significantly in apprenticeship schemes. The Minister, Deputy Harris, is putting in place measures in SOLAS and other training systems so that we can develop workers. Budget will not be the limiting factor in the next two to three years. We need to ramp things up and then scale up beyond that.

An additional €60 million is being provided for a loan support scheme for householders who will raise finance for their own homes. The Oireachtas joint committee set out the level of ambition. I understand the target is 500,000 houses during this decade. The Deputy is right; it would take three decades under that timetable. If at the end of that every single home is insulated that will be of huge benefit not just in terms of climate but also health.

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