Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 761: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of households accessing the better energy homes scheme; and the average grant paid per month over the past two years. [18856/12]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 762: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his assessment of the recent changes to the better energy homes scheme grants scheme has in terms of the take up of grants and jobs sustained. [18857/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 761 and 762 together.

The 2012 allocation is €76.146 million for the overall Better Energy Programme, including Better Energy: Homes. The programme continues to underpin significant economic activity, supporting at least 4,500 jobs and realising significant energy savings for households.

To date the scheme has paid over €130m in grants for over 300,000 measures in over 120,000 homes.

The monthly payment levels for the past two years are summarised in the table below.

* As Homeowners have six months in which to complete works and submit documentation from the date of grant approval, there is not a direct correlation between the numbers of applications and the average grant drawn down.

Grant levels for half the measures under Better Energy: Homes have been adjusted for 2012 in light of market developments and to ensure a better link between grant support and dwelling type. For instance, the reduction in the external wall insulation grant reflects increased price competitiveness in the market and the relative cost of undertaking this work on the various house types.

Since the start of 2012, there has been a decrease in applications across all measures in Better Energy: Homes. I have requested my Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to provide me with analysis on the factors underlying the decrease, which I expect to receive shortly.