Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of persons who have availed of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland grants for home insulation to date in 2013; the total number in 2012; the way this compares with previous years; his views on the operation of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27850/13]

Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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88. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of homes planned to be retrofitted this year through State schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26705/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 88 together.

The Better Energy Homes and the Better Energy Warmer Homes schemes are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) under the Better Energy Programme.

The Better Energy Homes scheme provides support to homeowners towards the installation of attic and wall insulation, and heating system upgrades including solar thermal with the works being undertaken by privately appointed contractors.

The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. The scheme is delivered through a combination of SEAI appointed Community Based Organisations (CBOs), augmented by a panel of private contractors in order to ensure national coverage and via an area based approach. Measures available include; draught proofing, attic insulation, lagging jackets for hot water tanks, low energy light bulbs and cavity wall insulation and are free of charge to the customer.

The following tables outline the number of homes completed and the value of the grants received for both schemes in 2012 and in 2013 up to 31 May. Also included are figures for 2011 for comparison purposes.

It should be noted that in relation to the Warmer Homes scheme the bulk of expenditure is disbursed in the second half of the year.

Since the start of 2012, there has been a decrease in applications across all measures under Better Energy Homes. It is the view of the SEAI that the downward trends in activity are primarily linked to the mildness of the weather across winters 2012 and 2013, which has created a reduction in the demand for energy efficiency related measures. There is also evidence to suggest that the volume of householders with savings available to spend on energy efficiency upgrades is diminishing and impacting demand for the scheme. Furthermore the bulk of early movers seeking to avail of energy efficiency measures under the scheme may now have been addressed.

Exchequer funding of €18 million has been allocated to the Better Energy Homes scheme for 2013 while Exchequer funding of €17 million has been allocated to Better Energy Warmer Homes. The target for 2013 is to carry out energy efficiency upgrades for a total of 30,000 homes across both schemes. Despite the current economic challenges this funding will have a lasting impact on homeowners who receive the energy measures.

With regard to the future operation of the schemes the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan and the Programme for Government include a commitment to roll out a Better Energy Financing energy retrofit scheme for domestic buildings after 2013. The Better Energy Financing (BEF) model proposes that the current suite of Exchequer funded grants for energy efficiency measures, excluding the low-income housing retrofit programme, will be replaced by a new financing scheme open to households and commercial operators. The key benefit to the homeowner of such a financing mechanism is that the scheme will allow them to secure upfront financing for energy efficiency upgrades to their homes, and in the process remove one of the key energy efficiency barriers. It would also be an objective of the new model that savings arising from the energy efficiency measures will contribute to the repayment of the funding provided.