Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue and for the opportunity to provide an update on the midlands retrofit pilot programme, which is a Government initiative under the just transition programme. The midlands retrofit pilot project is an important part of the just transition programme, which needs to be facilitated in the context of Bord na Móna's exit from peat and the direct impact that is having on the midlands.

The counties that were most affected by reductions in peat harvesting were included in the programme, namely, the eight counties of Kildare, Offaly, Westmeath, Longford, Laois, Roscommon, Tipperary and Galway. As part of the just transition proposals for the midlands, budget 2020 provided an additional €20 million to fund energy efficiency upgrades to local authority houses in the affected midland counties. The pilot scheme was focused on ensuring the energy efficiency upgrade of a minimum of 750 local authority homes in the midlands. It prioritised the upgrading of larger batches of homes in distinct, compact geographical areas and sought to build on the heretofore shallow retrofit programme in which local authorities were engaged in a deeper retrofit to achieve a B2-cost optimal building energy rating, BER, and promote the use of heat pumps where appropriate.

My Department worked with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, the national retrofit task force and the relevant local authorities on the design and roll-out of the pilot programme. Unfortunately, the programme was interrupted by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. That was further exacerbated by the shutdown of construction in 2020 and the further shutdown in the early months of 2021. With the lifting of the construction shutdown, the pilot programme is now back on track and the expectation is that the targeted minimum of 750 local authority homes for retrofit under the pilot programme will be completed in 2021.

As of now, four homes have been completed, a further 60 are on site, 217 are at contract award stage and 373 are at tender stage. The remaining homes are under survey. In respect of County Kildare specifically, 91 local authority homes are being progressed for retrofitting. The schedule of eligible works under the programme includes the replacement of windows and external doors where it is required to achieve the required heat loss indicator and to ensure the home is heat pump ready and can achieve a BER rating of B2-cost optimal. All decisions on the homes selected for the programme or the works to be completed on each home are a matter for the relevant local authority.

I give a commitment that we will engage with Kildare County Council specifically on this issue. I have the schedule of works with me, which commits to the replacement of windows and doors, as required, to bring the homes up to a BER of B2.