Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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173. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the introduction of a new scheme for retrofitting of homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23356/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets for the number and depth of residential retrofits to be completed by 2030. The targets are to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. Retrofitting has the ability to contribute to a number of important goals including - decarbonisation; warmer, more comfortable homes; and job creation and retention.

The development of a new retrofit plan to achieve these targets is well underway and the process of developing the plan has included reviewing the experience of existing schemes in Ireland, consultation with stakeholders and an analysis of relevant international experience.

The July Stimulus package commits to increasing the retrofit budget by €100 million in 2021. This additional funding will be focused on community retrofit schemes, retrofit schemes supporting those in energy poverty as well as other initiatives to support the achievement of our retrofit targets. The SEAI will shortly be announcing the first details of the new and expanded retrofit schemes.

By announcing this additional €100m funding as part of the July Stimulus, the Government is providing certainty to the sector so that they can continue approved programmes of work, bid into new and expanded schemes, maintain a pipeline of retrofit activity, and sustain and create jobs.