Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 398: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason only not for profit companies can operate the warmer home scheme; the basis on which the regional areas were allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16587/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Warmer Homes Scheme funds the installation of energy efficiency measures in low income households including attic insulation, cavity wall insulation, lagging jackets, draught proofing, low energy lighting and the provision of energy advice.

The Warmer Home Scheme was first initiated in 2000 on the basis of the Community Based Organisation (CBO) model, as a means of fully leveraging the combined investment of public monies through FÁS on the labour side through their Community Employment and latterly Social Economy schemes and from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) towards the funding of the requisite materials. The CBOs further leverage existing community networks (HSE, Saint Vincent De Paul, GP etc.) to ensure that the services are provided to the most vulnerable and that where necessary those vulnerable households are actively identified.

This model represents an integrated approach wherein local labour, derived from the otherwise long-term unemployed, is gainfully employed in their local areas providing hugely beneficial services to the community. SEI has, in conjunction with two lead partners in the scheme, continued a long term process of identifying CBOs in the particular areas in order to grow the geographical coverage. In light of the additional funds allocated to the Scheme for 2009, SEI is now actively working with officials in my Department and representatives from across a range of other Departments to roll out a significant expansion of the Warmer Homes Scheme.

This will include the recruitment of further CBOs towards wider geographic coverage and the deepening of the measures to include heating in certain instances. Consideration will also be given in due course to the options for including commercial practitioners in the scheme.