Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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Question 149: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his policy in relation to retrofitting of new houses that have been taken over by the council (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14740/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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In line with overall national policy which promotes a reduction in energy use, the enhancement of energy efficiency standards remains a priority within my Department's overall strategy for the improvement of local authority housing.

Under my Department's Social Housing Investment Programme, local authorities are allocated capital funding each year in respect of a range of measures to improve the standard and overall quality of their social housing stock. The programme includes a retrofitting measure aimed at improving the energy efficiency of older apartments and houses by reducing heat loss through the fabric of the building and the installation of high-efficiency condensing boilers.

Some €31million is being provided to local authorities in 2011 in respect of their social housing improvement works programmes. Under this year's programme, there is a particular focus on returning vacant properties to productive use. Newer houses constructed in accordance with Part L of the Building Regulations should achieve a high level of energy efficiency and will not require any form of retrofitting. While the installation of solid fuel stoves as room heaters is supported under the retrofitting programme when used to replace an open fire, it is not possible from an energy efficiency or a value for money perspective to justify the replacement of a highly efficient heating system with a less efficient solid fuel one. Therefore, any such works undertaken by a local authority in this regard are not eligible for funding under my Department's current programme.

My Department is also working closely with other Departments and agencies to develop a whole of Government approach to addressing the issue of energy affordability. An inter-departmental group is currently finalising a comprehensive energy affordability strategy which will be presented to my colleague the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in the coming weeks.