Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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26. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a person who has availed of the SEAI better energy warmer homes scheme can reapply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31858/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. The aim of the scheme is to deliver efficiency measures in a way which represents the best possible use of Exchequer funding.

To date over 142,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme, leaving the occupants better able to afford to heat their homes to an adequate level.

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.

Of the €221.5 million allocation, €109 million 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 Climate Action Plan includes a commitment to review ways to improve how current energy poverty schemes target those most in need. Recommendations in relation to the implementation of changes to the scheme including the issue of repeat upgrade visits will be finalised shortly.