Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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1280. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the details of specific home upgrades covered in the warmer homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19997/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH) Scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty, who meet the defined eligibility criteria.

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. The homes of beneficiaries are retrofitted free of charge, thus making those homes more energy efficient. The typical measures available include draught proofing, attic insulation, lagging jackets for hot water tanks, low energy light bulbs and cavity wall insulation.

Applications for the BEWH scheme are dealt with on a first come, first served basis. Once an application is made, contractors operating on behalf of SEAI survey the home to determine what measures are most suitable for that home. Once a survey has been completed, homes are issued to SEAI’s panel of appointed contractors and works typically proceed within a matter of days. Demand for the scheme remains strong, clearly demonstrating its potential to continue to deliver energy efficiency gains and related benefits, such as reduced energy costs and better health outcomes.

In March of this year I announced that a limited amount of deep retrofits will be available to those people who are eligible for the scheme and living in the poorest quality homes. SEAI are currently recruiting contractors to deliver these deeper efficiency measures on a nationwide basis and I expect the new upgrades to be available from this summer. I also announced that people who have previously received attic or loft insulation under the scheme but did not have their cavity walls treated can be revisited to now receive cavity wall insulation.

Full details of this and all the schemes administered by SEAI are available from their website or directly from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Wilton Park House, Wilton Park, Dublin, D02 T228, phone 01 8082100.