Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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335. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if there are any plans to resource and roll out a new national house condition survey, in particular with respect to energy efficiency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28381/14]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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336. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the efforts being made to tackle energy inefficiency in the private rented sector; his plans to ensure properties for rent meet minimum BER levels; if there are any plans to consider such a policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28382/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 335 and 336 together.

In the context of Construction 2020 - A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector (May 2014) the Government has committed to a number of measures in the area of investment in energy efficiency and sustainability. In this regard it is intended that my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, will establish a working group and invite public comment on the feasibility and impact of setting minimum energy performance standards in properties offered for letting in the residential sector.

The 2009 House Condition Survey included a focus on the energy efficiency of dwellings which has informed a number of policy measures across Government designed to tackle energy performance standards in Ireland’s national housing stock. These include actions that have been delivered or will be undertaken to ensure that Ireland fulfils its National Zero Energy Building Plan for dwellings by 2020 as required under Directive 31/2010/EU on the energy performance of buildings. Building Energy Rating (BER) assessment and certification is now well established as a mandatory requirement when a new dwelling is commissioned and when an existing dwelling is offered for sale or letting. This largely supersedes the need for a further survey on energy performance along the lines suggested.