Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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101. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 191 of 6 October 2020, if he will provide a breakdown of the over 8,000 homes on the scheme waiting list by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30843/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Budget 2021 provided €221.5 million in capital funding for residential and community retrofit programmes next year to be funded by my Department through the SEAI. This represents an additional €100 million, or 82% increase, on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever in the budget for the schemes. A further €65 million has been provided for retrofitting the social housing stock through the Vote of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Of the €221.5 million allocation, €109 million (€100 million for the Warmer Homes Scheme) is provided to support lower income households to retrofit their homes.  This represents an increase of €47 million on the 2020 allocation for energy poverty schemes and means that almost half of the total SEAI residential and community retrofit budget will support people vulnerable to energy poverty. The funding will mean that more households can receive free energy efficiency upgrades making their homes warmer, healthier and cheaper to run, in line with the Programme for Government.

The reference to the 8,000 homes in the reply to Question 191 of 6 October was an approximation and referred to homes awaiting completion of an energy efficiency upgrade. It also included:

- the Warmth and Wellbeing Scheme - 314 homes, all of which are located in Dublin; and

- a number of homes which have since been completed.

The table below sets out the number of homes on the Warmer Homes Scheme work programme by county as of 30 September 2020 that are:

- currently undergoing works,

- have been allocated to contractors for works,

- have completed an initial home survey and are awaiting allocation to a contractor, or 

- are awaiting the initial survey of their home.

Waiting list by County