Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 702: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the grant aid that was given to applications received in his Department after 16 February 2007 (details supplied). [6096/08]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 703: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if each grant aided unit has been tested to establish if it achieved energy and CO2 performance levels 40% higher than current regulations (details supplied). [6097/08]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 704: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if it possible for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo to view their file which is with his Department and who was not successful in receiving grant aid. [6098/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 702 to 704, inclusive together.

The House of Tomorrow programme opened in 2001 and by time of closure had committed grants to housing developments comprising around 6,000 units. The programme closed for applications in June, arising from a Government commitment to revise Part L of the Building Regulations to require energy and CO2 performance levels in new homes similar to those which had been demonstrated through the House of Tomorrow programme as being achievable, or a strengthening by some 40% relative to the current regulations. In the period from 19th February 2007 to the ultimate closure of the programme at the end of June 2007, Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) committed grants of €4.8 million to projects under the House of Tomorrow programme.

Under the programme, approximately 6,000 housing units have been approved for funding support, of which over 3,000 units have been completed to date and less than 2,000 units are in normal occupancy of more than one year. In the nature of building demonstration projects of this kind, verification of energy performance in practice typically requires a minimum established pattern of one year's normal occupancy. SEI is currently commissioning an extensive performance evaluation of such established units supported under the House of Tomorrow programme, comprising assessment of the objective energy, CO2 and cost saving impacts, together with an assessment of the experiences and attitudes of affected parties including occupants, builders, service providers, architects, estate agents and local authorities in relation to representative samples of these homes. The results of this work are unlikely to be available before the end of 2008.

However, early indications from a number of the more advanced developments under the programme are that user experiences in relation to comfort levels and running costs are most encouraging.

The application file for the above subject project is held by SEI and can be viewed by prior arrangement with the Legal and Contracts Manager at SEI.