Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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246. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the public consultation on removing barriers to energy efficiency in the rental sector by addressing the split-incentive problem. [32442/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In the residential rental sector, the split-incentive usually arises when incentives to invest in energy efficiency upgrades are misaligned between landlords and tenants.  This issue is common in many jurisdictions and negatively impacts the rate of energy efficiency investment. Last year, an Expert Advisory Group was formed to explore potential policy approaches to address the split-incentive and increase the number of rented properties undergoing energy upgrades.  The Group is comprised of representatives from my Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the SEAI and the Residential Tenancies Board.

Based on an analysis of policy approaches in other jurisdictions and input from stakeholders, the Group outlined a number of potential policy measures for a public consultation.  The consultation ran from December 2019 to late January 2020 and spanned both the private rented residential and commercial sectors. Over 90 submissions were received in response to the consultation.

The results of the public consultation have been analysed by my Department and will inform the Expert Advisory Group's policy recommendations which will be submitted to the Minister in the first quarter of 2021. Submissions stressed the importance of striking the right balance between ensuring sufficient supply of rented accommodation and taking action to improve energy efficiency of the private rented stock.

Currently, landlords can apply for grant support to upgrade their rental properties under the existing Better Energy Homes scheme. In addition, the SEAI recently launched the One Stop Shop Development Call as part of the National Retrofit Scheme. The findings of the consultation helped to inform the decision to include encouraging the retrofitting of rental properties as an objective of the scheme.