Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a company which produces fireplace inserts that burn cut and seasoned wood but provide an energy efficient heating system qualifies for existing grants. [17169/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Sustainable Energy Ireland administers a number of schemes, which stimulate the wider deployment of sustainable energy technologies including:

- Greener Homes Scheme – stimulating installation of renewable heating systems in homes, including solar panels, biomass and gasification boilers, biomass stoves and geothermal heat pumps.

- ReHEAT Scheme – supporting technologies for the commercial, public and community sectors.

- Home Energy Savings Scheme - promoting the uptake of energy efficiency measures in homes including improved attic and wall insulation and upgraded heating system controls.

The objective of these programmes is to enhance the energy performance of systems/buildings, thereby reducing emissions, reducing Ireland's reliance on imported fossil fuels and improving the cost competitiveness of energy. The specification for products supported under the Greener Homes Scheme or the Home Energy Saving Scheme would not cover the product in question, particularly as open fires by their nature are inherently inefficient with typically less than 30% efficiency.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will change the home energy saving scheme so that a building energy rating is mandatory; the reason a BER is not currently required; his views on ensuring local authority building control officers enforce the legislation covering BERs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17156/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Home Energy Saving (HES) Scheme is administered by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI). SEI recommends that people participating in the HES who are uncertain about their best options for energy saving avail of the before/after BER grant. Initial indications are that as many as one third of applicants plan to avail of this option. There will also be homeowners who are already familiar with the measures in place or needed in their house and they will doubtless select on the basis of that knowledge. In developing the HES scheme, it was concluded by SEI that it would be unreasonable to oblige homeowners to incur the BER cost as a mandatory requirement to grant eligibility. The arrangements for the enforcement of BER by local authorities/building control authorities has been set out in the reply given by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to Question Nos. 372 and 377 on 28 April 2009. The position is unchanged.