Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. It is an important scheme. We will continue it and there are exacting targets there. I would not say it is not working; it is. All schemes can always be improved somewhat. Ireland has one of the most ambitious home retrofit targets in the world. The national retrofit plan sets out how these targets will be met, including an €8 billion financial investment to 2030. There is an absolute commitment by this Government and successive Governments to do this.

A range of measures have been introduced in recent years to support the achievement of our targets. This includes enhanced SEAI grant schemes, including expanded eligibility and higher grants and a simplified application process, which we still need to continue to look at. Faster approvals are needed. I just responded to my colleague, Deputy Cleere, on that very thing. It also includes the establishment of a network of 24 SEAI-registered one-stop shops, with further growth in the network expected this year and a reformed warmer homes scheme for homeowners in energy poverty. We have made good progress there but I want to see the processing times reduced further. They have reduced, but they need to go further.

There are enhanced supports for retrofitting apartment buildings and flat complexes; new supports for area-based retrofit projects for mixed-ownership estates aimed at encouraging homeowners, regardless of requirements or means, to get a retrofit. I have witnessed those schemes in my constituency, in Portmarnock. The pilot schemes are being expanded further, which needs to happen. There is a new pilot scheme to support the retrofitting of traditionally built homes; two pilots aimed at informing approaches to increase the number of heat pumps installed; the new home energy upgrade loan scheme, the extension of which we launched to An Post Money and Avant, with interest rates as low as 3%; a tax incentive to encourage small-scale landlords to undertake retrofitting; a reduction in VAT for heat pumps to 9% and a 0% rate for solar panels; expanded obligations on energy companies to support homeowners and energy-poor households to reduce energy use. I could go on - there are lots of good things happening. There is an opportunity when a new Government and new Minister come into office to look at what is being done and how it can be improved further.

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