Written answers

Thursday, 28 November 2019

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Local Authority Housing

Photo of Thomas PringleThomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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268. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the €25million funding allocated for the upgrading of the energy efficiency of local authority homes in 2019 can be used for window and door upgrades taking into account windows lose approximately 25% of heat; if his plan is in line with proposals in the climate action plan 2019 and the obligations of Ireland under the EU energy efficiency directive; his views on whether a local authority reply (details supplied) is correct in its interpretation of the recent funding allocated by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49609/19]

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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My Department is currently supporting local authorities in undertaking an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting for their housing stock, which commenced in 2013. The aim of the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme is the improvement of energy efficiency and comfort levels in local authority homes, benefitting those at risk of fuel poverty and making a significant contribution to Ireland’s carbon emissions reduction targets and energy efficiency targets for 2020. 

The programme is being implemented in a number of phases: Phase 1 is focused on providing attic/roof insulation and the less intrusive cavity wall insulation in all relevant properties, while Phase 2, which was rolled out to all local authorities earlier this year, focuses on the external fabric upgrade of those social housing units with solid/hollow block wall construction and includes the provision of heating upgrades as well as the replacement of windows and doors to facilitate external wall insulation or where single glazed units exist. 

Funding of over €139 million has been provided from 2013 to date to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in over 70,000 local authority homes.  Some 1,902 social homes in County Wicklow have been retrofitted under this programme, with funding support of over €5.3 million.

Under the programme, each local authority receives an annual funding allocation and it is their responsibility to select properties for inclusion in the programme, including the blend of properties to be tackled between deep and shallow retrofits. My Department is not involved in the selection of the properties to be retrofitted, nor the sequence in which the works are prioritised by the local authority.

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