Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1790. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider extending the warmer homes scheme to include applicants over 66 years of age to avail of heating upgrade works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28627/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme on behalf of my Department. The scheme provides energy efficiency upgrades free of charge to people who meet the eligibility criteria, regardless of their age. Typical measures available under the scheme include attic and cavity wall insulation, draught proofing, lagging jackets and low energy light bulbs. The measures currently offered under the Warmer Homes schemes were selected as the best balance that could be achieved between the resources that the Exchequer can provide to the scheme, the number of homes that can receive support and the energy savings that can be delivered. In short, the measures supported are those that can deliver the most energy savings at the lowest cost to the highest number of people.

The average cost of a full heating system with heating controls for a standard house is approx. €7000. This is far in excess of the cost of the current measures offered. Therefore providing this under the Warmer Homes scheme would mean that much fewer people could benefit from the scheme each year.

However, with the additional resources I have secured in Budget 2017 for energy efficiency, SEAI are now providing a limited number of deep retrofits to the homes of those people who are living in the poorest homes. Every person who applies to the Warmer Homes scheme has their home surveyed by a professional contractor. When those surveyors find an applicant who is living in a home that is in a particularly poor condition they will recommend the person for a deeper set of measures. What measures will be recommended will depend on what the surveyor finds. However, in general, the surveyors will look at factors including the age of the home, the construction of the wall, the age of the heating system or where one is absent. SEAI have procured additional contractors to deliver these deeper measures and I expect works to start in July.