Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will fund local authorities to carry out works to address internal condensation in local authority housing stock in order that this issue when it arises can be addressed satisfactorily whilst the house is occupied rather than only addressing the issue when the house is vacated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28336/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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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.

My Department provides a grant of up to €15,000 per house, depending on the energy improvement achieved, for necessary works such as attic and wall insulation, the replacement of windows and external doors and the fitting of energy-efficient condensing boilers. Under this year's improvement works programme the focus will continue on returning vacant properties to productive use. Local authorities may also undertake works, out of the allocations provided, to improve the energy efficiency of occupied units, where the local authority considers this appropriate. In drawing up improvement works programmes which include the upgrading of tenanted properties, I envisage that local authorities would give priority to older houses which currently lack adequate wall and roof insulation.

I intend to review the operation of the Social Housing Improvement Works programme, including the retrofitting measure, with a view to possible changes to improve the effectiveness of the various measures.