Written answers

Tuesday, 10 November 2020

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Warmer Homes Scheme

Photo of Christopher O'SullivanChristopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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151. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the additional funding announced for retrofitting in budget 2021 will address the waiting list for the warmer homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35086/20]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon 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. 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. There are currently over 7,000 homes on the Warmer Homes Scheme work programme. This includes homes 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.

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 funding should allow for 5,800 lower income households to receive upgrades next year.

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 will be finalised shortly.

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