Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the exclusion of persons on low incomes from the home energy saving scheme; the reason there is a minimum requirement that the grant amount in the first application must be €500 or greater; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this excludes those who only require a cavity wall insulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14894/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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It is important to ensure a proper balance between value for money in relation to the cost of the investment in delivering energy efficiency savings measures and the value of those energy savings to the economy. SEI has put in place a requirement that applicants to the scheme install measures attracting a minimum grant payment of €500. The administrative cost of disbursing grants for relatively low cost measures below this threshold such as attic insulation or cavity wall insulation would be disproportionately high. In this context, the administrative cost for Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) of processing grants under the Home Energy Saving Scheme is relatively fixed, regardless of the amount of the grant payment concerned. SEI has worked to keep administrative costs of the Scheme to a minimum.

In regard to those on low incomes, it is the case, that €20 million has been provided to the Warmer Homes Scheme for 2009, a substantial increase on previous years. The Warmer Homes Scheme is specifically targeted at low income households. This scheme provides for the installation of a range of energy efficiency measures, including cavity wall insulation, attic insulation, boiler lagging jackets, draught proofing measures and Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). Advice is also provided to householders on minimising energy use. The scheme provides these measures free or at a nominal cost to the householder.

The Warmer Homes Scheme is expected to support energy efficiency interventions in up to 15,000 low income homes in this year alone. Further information on the Warmer Homes Scheme is available by calling 1800-250204, by emailing warmerhomes@sei.ie or at www.sei.ie/Grants/Warmer_Homes_Scheme.