Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 201: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason window replacement is not a part of the home energy saving scheme; if this had been part of the pilot scheme; if so, the reason it is no longer part of the scheme; if a building energy rating is mandatory for inclusion in this scheme; the position regarding the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7819/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Together with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, I recently launched the National Insulation Programme for Economic Recovery. The Home Energy Saving scheme is the largest element of the Programme with a budget of €50 million in 2009, and has the potential to support the upgrade of in excess of 27,500 homes this year. Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) estimates that demand for this scheme could ultimately exceed 100,000 homes.

The scheme provides grant assistance to homeowners for attic and wall insulation, efficient boilers and heating controls. These measures were selected for inclusion in the scheme, with the assistance of 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. Following the pilot programme in 2008, in which windows were included, SEI recommended the current measures as the most likely to deliver significant energy savings to homeowners at the least cost. There are other measures not included in the scheme that also deliver energy savings. My Department and SEI will be keeping the scheme under review and if there is a strong case for adding other measures to the scheme, I will give this full consideration.

The scheme is open to anybody owning a house that was built prior to 2006. Homeowners and landlords will be able to apply under the scheme from next month. In the meantime, homeowners can register their interest with SEI on 1850 927000 or at hes@sei.ie. Homeowners may arrange to have a building energy rating carried out immediately, if they wish, but this is not a requirement for participation in the scheme. However, homeowners should not undertake any remedial work until they have received grant approval from SEI, as work underway or recently completed will not be considered for grant assistance.