Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State.

Councillor Ben Dalton O'Sullivan of Cork County Council and a number of other Independent councillors around the country have asked me to raise this important issue. There has been much discussion in both Houses about our second winter with Covid. While it is not yet known whether we will find a way to live with the virus or will finally kick it, there is one threat that winter will always bring, and that is the cold. We are touching the bottom of the thermometer in some places in the country and snow is on the way for others. In the face of the winter chill, our houses must be up to scratch, doubly so as energy prices rise. The energy efficiency of people's homes is as much a climate issue as it is a comfort one and a health one. That is why schemes such as the better energy warmer homes scheme are of such important, but a scheme can only be as good as its administration. That is why I have raised this Commencement matter.

Last week, I received some information from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI. There are 7,280 applicants awaiting works under the warmer homes scheme. The average time from application date to survey completion is 14 months and the average time from application to date to works completion is 26 months. I understand that works under the scheme were suspended this year in line with Covid-19 health measures. These figures do not reflect a significant backlog on account of the health measures, which is positive, but the Minister of State will appreciate that the 26 months from application date to works being completed has entailed an additional two winters in homes of subpar energy efficiency. Combined with talk of power outages over the coming winter, this paints a bleak picture.

I understand that funding for the scheme has increased significantly this year, with €100 million allocated to it, and that the capacity of the SEAI to deliver the scheme is to be expanded.How will this funding lead to a reduction in waiting times for families on the waiting list? I ask the Minister of State to outline to the House the specific steps being taken by the Department in terms of its funding of the SEAI, and by the SEAI, in addressing this issue.