Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 323: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount of grants given via the greener home scheme to individuals to install small wood pellet boilers since the inception of the greener home scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9517/08]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 324: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the amount of small wood pellet boilers which have been uninstalled since the inception of the greener home scheme and the number of complaints received by his Department by dissatisfied owners of small wood pellet boilers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9518/08]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the standards or qualifications his Department requires from installers of small wood pellet boilers before his Department advertises these businesses on its website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9519/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 to 325, inclusive, together.

Wood Pellet boilers and stoves are just one of the technology ranges supported under the Greener Homes Scheme which has been in place since March 2006. Since the scheme was launched grant aid of €14.1 m has been paid out in respect of 4,021 installations of biomass boilers and stoves.

When the scheme was launched in 2006, no accredited qualification scheme for renewable heat system installations existed in Ireland but this is being progressively addressed by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), which is responsible for the Greener Homes Scheme. All applicants are strongly advised to research their chosen installer. The general requirements to be registered under the Greener Homes Scheme include tax compliance, acceptance that installations may be inspected by SEI and commitment to act on a direction from SEI following any such inspection.

Additionally, installers currently registered under the Greener Homes Scheme Phase II have made a commitment to have completed FETAC accredited training by the end of March this year. Training courses for biomass technologies as well as geothermal and solar technologies have been developed by SEI, in conjunction with Action Renewables in Northern Ireland, under an INTERREG project in recent years. These were accredited by FETAC late last year and are now being rolled out in a number of centres around the country. SEI has also worked closely with FÁS on a joint initiative for delivery of this training. The minimum entry requirement for these courses is typically a National Craft Certificate in a relevant trade (electrical, plumbing or fitting) or equivalent.

It is however, important to note that there is also a distinction between qualifications and quality of workmanship, which is the basis for the very strong recommendation to all grant applicants that they check references of their preferred supplier. This is also supported through Practical Guidelines for Buyers, which form part of the information collateral for Greener Homes Scheme applicants.

One of the objectives of the Greener Homes Scheme is to accelerate the development of a previously immature market/supply chain and to promote best practice and professional behaviour. SEI has received approximately 30 complaints from dissatisfied householders who have installed biomass boilers and stoves regarding either poor installation or disappointment with system performance versus expectations. Such instances are diminishing and the quality of installations, nearly two years on, has improved. I understand that 3 of the applicants have removed the installations from their homes.

When notified of issues, SEI works to establish where resolution might lie and notify the homeowner and/or the installer as appropriate. However, in many instances the matter remains a contractual one between the householder and the installer whereby, for example, a defect has to be remedied under the agreed warranty terms offered by the installer.