Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 1020: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when a project (details supplied) in County Mayo was passed by Sustainable Energy Ireland; the reason the applicants were not informed of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11647/08]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 1021: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason a project (details supplied) in County Mayo which had been passed did not receive any grant aid. [11648/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1020 and 1021 together.

The House of Tomorrow programme opened in 2001 and by July 2007 had committed grants to housing developments comprising around 6,000 units. The programme closed for applications in June 2007, 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.

The proposed revisions to the regulations, complete with these new performance requirements, were published in September for consultation by the Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government, with a view to becoming mandatory over the period 2008-09.

In that context, it was decided not to continue to grant aid new projects in respect of standards that are imminently to become mandatory.

The significant interest in the House of Tomorrow programme in the period prior to the closure meant that there was a very large number of grant applications still in process which constituted a significant level of oversubscription. The September announcement by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, also affirmed a commitment to review the regulations in 2010 to 60% above current levels, with the ultimate aim of achieving a zero carbon standard for new houses in the medium to long term. On this basis, the project applications in hand were subject to detailed review to establish whether, on the basis of possible achievement of such a 60% performance level, support could be warranted.

Any applicant who did not qualify for funding under the scheme would have received a letter from Sustainable Energy Ireland outlining the reasons for the decision.