Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)

There is an upgrade scheme through the SEAI at the minute called the traditional home pilot scheme. There is a low uptake, and this is directly related to the costs associated with conservation technical expertise and the lack of conservation professionals. Will the Minister of State provide details as to the number of expressions of interest there have been through the one-stop shops and the number of those who have followed through with the applications? If we are serious about upgrading many of the older properties in the country - and let us be honest there are lots of them - many of them use turf and coal for heating and have thermal inefficiencies, we will have to acknowledge the reality around the added costs associated with treating them properly.

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