Written answers

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Warmer Homes Scheme Applications

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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133. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department will honour an application made by a person who was in receipt of fuel allowance at the time of applying for inclusion on the warmer homes scheme but was not in receipt of fuel allowance by the time the provider of the scheme processed their application, in view of the fact that the delay in processing the application was not the fault of the applicant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28366/13]

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme under the Better Energy Programme. The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to households that are vulnerable to energy poverty.

The SEAI maintains a live database of applicants who apply to be considered for the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme. No pre-checks on the qualifying criteria are carried out at this point. Applicants are sent a letter confirming that they are on the waiting list, informing them of the qualifying criteria and notifying them that these criteria will be verified at the point of survey. If any applicant, at the point of survey, is not in a position to verify they meet the qualifying criteria, their application is cancelled. No applicant has any guarantee of service delivery unless a survey verifies that works are technically possible and that the homeowner qualifies for the services at the time of survey.

The SEAI has advised that the applicant in question applied to the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme in late April 2013 (they have no record of a 2012 application), with the house surveyed in early June 2013. At this point, the applicant failed to provide proof of eligibility resulting in his application being cancelled. However, if the applicant is indeed eligible for the scheme, the SEAI is happy to accept proof of eligibility. On foot of receipt of this information, arrangements to install the appropriate energy efficiency measures will be put in train.

In view of the above, if the applicant would like to submit proof of eligibility or requires any other information regarding the scheme, he should call the Better Energy Warmer Homes Helpdesk at 1800 250 204.

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