Larry Butler (Fianna Fail)

One is supposed to get the work carried out and then get the BER on the house to see how it rates. However, if one is selling the house, one has to have a BER certificate.

Quite a few private companies have set up in business to carry out the BER. There will not be a problem finding an inspector because quite a few companies in Dublin are now well set up in this regard and also with regard to retrofit. Retrofit is nothing new. Most of the small builders who have been carrying out work over the years are well qualified to do this.

There was also a misconception among some speakers with regard to cavity block, which can of course be insulated both outside and inside. I would not be big supporter of cavity block construction and would prefer to see a double-skin wall being built, which is the way most of the houses in the country have been built. However, for a fast and efficient way of carrying out work, cavity block was certainly a big help. It was one of the first improvements in system-built houses and it was possible to build them very quickly. However, they were not energy efficient. Fingal County Council and Dún Laoghaire County Council were the first local authorities in the country to demand a 40% increase in the energy rating of houses in Dublin. That move was supported by Fianna Fáil, the Green Party, Fine Gael and all other parties in both councils.

I refer to the transfer to smart metering and alternative energy. This is a very significant move amounting to a total investment of €18 billion in our homes. The costing suggests a saving from insulation amounting to €9 billion. Let us consider the options in alternative energy, including micro wind power generators and solar power. Carey Glass Solar has perfected a panel that will supply electricity to houses, a significant advance in solar power. The development of micro wind power is very important because it may allow a small generator to be placed on one's house. It may be possible to use these in group schemes and there are various other options. There is a great opportunity to go down this road.

The emergence of pellet boilers is a significant advance and a very efficient way to provide heat. When renovating my daughter's house we installed a pellet boiler which is a fantastic, cheap, efficient and clean way to heat the house. It produces one cup of dust every week, a small pot of ash that can be put on one's flowers.

I commend the motion to the House. It is linked with the smart economy. In future we must operate in a better and smarter way and ensure greater value for money. That is how we will get ourselves out of the trouble we are in at present. Such initiatives as the insulation scheme amount to the way forward. We must invest more money in this area. This proposal will create 4,000 jobs. We should bear in mind some of the figures. Every €25 million invested will create €100 million and a €52 million return to the Exchequer. Where else is such value to be found? Removing people from the dole queue saves approximately €25,000 per person. That is the value we can extract from this scheme.

Double glazed windows should be included in the scheme and it was a mistake to omit them from it. Some 25% of domestic heat is lost through windows. Without a double glazing unit one can lose 25% of heat and one may not reach the efficiency rating required by the building energy rating, BER, inspector. It is important that this is amended. While this investment is very welcome, we need more. The scheme will cover approximately 15,000 houses, which is not enough because there are 1 million houses in the country. This is a great opportunity to pump prime the economy and there is no better way to do this for the Exchequer and the householder. If we take money from the householder we must return some of it and this is a great way to do so.

Let us consider the options for alternative energy. Thermal energy efficiency is another option and we must examine the design of electrical fixtures in the household. There are significant amounts of money and energy to be saved in this area. It is possible to save €350 per year on light bulbs alone, a very significant amount of money. It is simply a matter of changing the bulb and it will last longer and provide more light. In the future, technology will bring substantial savings in that regard. I commend the motion and I hope the Minister will expedite the scheme. There is no reason not to do so. The sooner the Minister gets the scheme under way the better. There are many contractors available to do the work. The average contractor can do it and it does not involve any science. We should get along and create the equivalent of three Dells or 15,000 jobs in this industry. We should get on with the work.