Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1591. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the funding provided this year for the insulation of local authority houses; his plans to increase this funding in view of the challenges faced by people on low incomes due to fuel poverty and the cuts imposed by the Minister for Social Protection to the free fuel allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34523/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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€30 million has been provided as part of my Department’s 2014 Social Housing Investment Programme for improving the energy performance of local authority housing stock. An initial €15million was allocated to local authorities in February 2014 and earlier this month, I announced a further €15 million allocation for this purpose.

The funding is part of a €50 million investment programme over three years to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in 25,000 local authority homes. The programme commenced in June 2013 and is currently focused on providing attic/roof insulation and cavity wall insulation. Local authorities may also seek funding approval for the replacement of single glazed or poorly performing windows. More than 13,000 homes benefited under this energy efficiency measure in 2013 .

Details of the full allocations to local authorities in 2014 in respect of energy efficiency are as follows: