Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will introduce a grant support scheme in respect of the upgrading of windows in homes in line with the objectives of the greener homes scheme and the home energy saving scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24161/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Home Energy Saving (HES) Scheme, which opened for applications on 25 March, provides grant assistance for a range of energy efficiency applications. These include roof insulation, as well as specific internal and external wall insulation, and boilers and heating controls. Grant assistance is also provided for the assessment of energy upgrade requirements, through a Building Energy Rating (BER) rating before and after the remedial works.

The measures were selected for inclusion in the scheme, with the expert advice of Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) and in light of the pilot phase of the scheme last year.

SEI recommended the measures to my Department as being the most optimum to deliver significant energy savings to homeowners at least cost and as representing best use of budgetary resources.

Replacement windows are not currently eligible for grant assistance under the scheme. My Department and SEI are keeping the scheme under constant review and will continue to give consideration to the scope for adding other measures to the scheme, subject to budgetary and technical considerations. Similar to the Greener Homes Scheme, the Home Energy Savings Scheme will evolve and adapt as it rolls out and as the market for these measures matures. This may give rise to changes to the measures eligible under the scheme over time.

To date, there has been very strong interest in taking up grant offers for the existing six measures. Since the scheme opened less than three months ago, grants worth €16 million, have been offered to 12,000 homeowners nationwide.

There are critical benefits accruing for the construction industry from the Scheme in terms of economic activity, retraining and job retention. To date, over 2,000 contractors have registered with SEI to install measures under the scheme, with a similar level of BER assessors also being deployed.