Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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26. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if consideration will be given to an increase in the annual budget for the recently opened support scheme for renewable heat which encourages farmers to change from fossil-based fuel sources to renewable heat sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29042/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat was developed to financially support the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users.

The scheme has an annual budget cap, which is set with the agreement of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.  The annual budget cap, which is currently set at €5 million, is the total in annual operation payments that can be made for all projects under the scheme. Projects can continue to be approved by SEAI until the annual budget cap is reached.

To date, the total annual operational payments for all projects that have been approved is circa one-quarter of the annual budget cap. Therefore, it is not proposed to review the annual budget cap at this stage.

I intend to allocate sufficient funds from my Department's budget in 2021 to cover all expected payments under the scheme.