Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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49. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the work of his Department to support households in maintaining warm homes, important for reasons of good health in particular through retrofitting and energy efficiency measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1496/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Retrofitting of homes supports good physical and mental health by creating healthy indoor living environments with healthy air temperatures, humidity levels, noise levels, and improved air quality.

My Department funds a number of SEAI grant schemes to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. These schemes offer partial grants for individuals who can afford to contribute to the cost of upgrades as well as free energy efficiency improvements for people at risk of energy poverty.

Since 2000, over 400,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier and cheaper to heat and light.

The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. Achieving these targets will allow many more households to reap health benefits associated with warm, energy efficient homes.

SEAI grant schemes will be a central element of the Government's approach to achieving our national retrofit targets.  €221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year for residential and community retrofit programmes. Of this allocation, €109 million is provided to support people vulnerable to energy poverty to retrofit their homes. This allocation will kick-start the first phase of our retrofit plan.  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. It is intended to publish a National Retrofit Framework later this year following publication of the National Development Plan.