Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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66. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there is grant aid available for the installation of air to water heating systems in new domestic builds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5541/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years.  Heat pumps are an attractive and extremely efficient alternative to fossil fuel heating systems such as oil, gas and solid fuel heating systems.  In order to assist with the achievement of these targets, €221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year through my Department’s Vote to the SEAI for residential and community retrofit schemes. This represents an 82% increase on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever for the schemes. This allocation will kick-start the first phase of our national retrofit plan.

Grants available through SEAI aim to maximise emissions reductions and deliver energy savings for the widest range of homeowners possible. The grants which are available, and their respective eligibility criteria, were selected as the most likely to deliver significant energy savings to homeowners as well as the best value for money for the Exchequer.  Grant support is focused on improving the condition of existing dwellings.

As new homes are already required to meet specific energy performance standards and to incorporate renewables under the Building Regulations, I have no plans to introduce grant aid for new builds.