Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 217: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the recently announced supports for insulation will cover window insulation; if it is excluded, the reason this energy-saving method was overlooked; his plans to make provision for such work in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6766/09]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 218: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will respond to a query (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6871/09]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 218 together.

I announced the launch of the Home Energy Saving Scheme on the 8th of February last, together with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, as part of the Government's National Insulation Programme for Economic Recovery. I have allocated €50 million to the Home Energy Saving Scheme in 2009 and this funding will be sufficient to support the retrofitting of energy efficiency measures in over 27,000 homes in 2009.

The scheme provides grant assistance to homeowners for attic and wall insulation, efficient boilers and heating controls. I selected these measures for inclusion in the scheme, with the assistance of advice from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), which has built up a considerable expertise on residential energy efficiency matters as part of their statutory remit and in the course of their oversight of the pilot phase of the scheme in 2008. SEI recommended these measures to me as most likely to deliver significant energy savings to homeowners, at least cost.

I am conscious that there are other measures not included in the scheme that may also deliver strong energy savings. I will be keeping the scheme under continuous review and if I find that there is a strong case for adding other measures to the scheme, I will give this full consideration.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 219: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps he has taken to ensure the cycle to work scheme, introduced in the Finance (No. 2) Act 2008, can be availed of by officials in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6796/09]

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

My Department is in the process of considering how best to implement the Budget 2009 announcement, as set out in the Finance Act 2008, on the provision of bicycles and related equipment by employers, to employees who agree to use the bicycles to cycle to work.

In advance of the roll out of this scheme, my Department has implemented a scheme whereby a number of bicycles have been provided, with the appropriate safety equipment, for official use on business travel within Dublin city. I am very pleased to report that the uptake on the use of these bicycles has been encouraging and is reducing dependency on taxis, particularly for city centre travel.

Secure bicycle storage and shower facilities are provided at the Dublin offices to facilitate staff cycling and walking to work.