Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the €40 million that was unspent for sustainable energy programmes in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10135/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Under Public Financial Procedures, up to 10% of any given year's capital allocation can be carried forward if unspent. In relation to the 2009 allocation, my Department carried forward €15.721m into 2010. These funds were allocated between the ICT Programme (€14.290m) and the Energy Research Programme (€1.431m). The remainder of the unspent 2009 allocation was remitted to the Exchequer.

I would point out to the Deputy that the bulk of the allocation for energy programmes in 2009 related to demand led schemes and it is difficult to accurately predict take up of these, particularly in relation to new schemes. Notwithstanding the underspend in 2009, there were considerable achievements across sustainable energy programmes overseen by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI). The Home Energy Savings Scheme, which was operational from April 2009, received 40,727 applications, and paid for 33,434 measures across 18,183 homes. Expenditure in 2009 amounted to €18.81m. The scheme has already received over 10,000 applications in 2010 with over €5m already paid out to date. I anticipate that the enhanced allocation on energy programmes in 2010 will be extended.