Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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89. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the better energy warmer homes scheme is still open; and if so, the amount of its budget allocation that remains. [16745/20]

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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90. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the better energy homes programme is still open; and if so, the amount of its budget allocation that remains. [16746/20]

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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91. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the community areas housing efficiency strand is still open; and if so, the amount of its budget allocation that remains. [16747/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 90 and 91 together.

My Department funds a number of grant schemes to help homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. These schemes are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Since 2000, approximately 400,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier to heat and light. Funding of approximately €121 million has been allocated for home and community energy efficiency schemes and the solar PV scheme in 2020.

The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. The scheme is open and applications can be made through SEAI. The budget allocation for 2020 is €52.8 million - a record level of funding for this scheme.  Expenditure under this scheme is lower than the level projected at the start of the year due to the impact of Covid-19 related restrictions which meant that activity was paused for a number of weeks.  A total of €10 million has been spent or is currently under audit and due to be paid, leaving a budget of €43 million for the remainder of the year.  Of the remaining budget, works with a value of €20.3 million have already been allocated to contractors.

The Better Energy Homes Scheme provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their home. Fixed grants covering approximately 30% of the works are provided towards the cost of a range of measures.  The scheme is open and applications can be made through SEAI. The 2020 budget for the Better Energy Homes Scheme is €21 million. Between the period of January 2020 and June 2020, approximately €9.3 million was spent leaving a remaining budget of €11.7 million for the rest of the year.

The Better Energy Communities Scheme funds community-based partnerships to improve the energy efficiency of the building stock in their area.  It is applicable to homes, community facilities and businesses. The scheme closed to applications in January 2020 in line with Scheme Guidelines and will re-open to new applications for the 2021 scheme later this year. The budget for the Scheme this year was increased to €22 million – with €4 million of this allocation for a new ‘homes only’ aggregation strand. The budget for this year’s Better Energy Communities Scheme and homes only strand is fully allocated to projects.  In terms of actual expenditure, approximately €3 million of the budget has been spent in 2020. 

Further information on SEAI Grant Schemes can be found at: www.seai.ie/grants/.