Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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389. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if grants are available for a person who wishes to renovate a protected structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26079/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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My Department provides financial support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS). 

The HSF is for conservation and enhancement to heritage structures and historic buildings, in both private and public ownership, for the benefit of communities and the public. The BHIS is a scheme for the repair and conservation of structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS). It is designed to leverage private capital for investment in small-scale conservation projects across the country and to support the employment of skilled conservation professionals. 

The BHIS has been allocated €3m this year, up 20% on 2020. The HSF has also been allocated €3m, up over 75% on 2020. Details of the projects to be funded in 2021 under both schemes were announced recently and are available on my Department’s website. Details of the 2022 schemes, including how and when to apply, will be made available later this year. 

In the context of a particular building or historic structure, the best advice is generally to contact the Architectural Conservation Officer or Heritage Officer in the local authority who is very well placed to advise on the various types of funding available to assist with works at a protected structure.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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390. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if Donegal County Council has been allocated funding for the energy efficiency retrofit programme phase 2 for window and doors replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26088/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Energy Efficiency/Retrofitting Programme (EERP) was launched in 2013 with the aim of funding the retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since 2013, over 73,500 units of local authority housing stock have been retrofitted under the programme with a total exchequer spend of €161 million.

The Programme for Government commits to retrofitting 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent (BER) standard by 2030, of which, approximately 36,500 are expected to be local authority owned homes. This requires local authorities to move to a 'deeper retrofit' programme, thus building on what has been completed in previous years. The revised programme provides for a significant increase in the level of funding available and focuses on ensuring that the fabric of the home is upgraded and an energy efficient heating system is provided. Works eligible under the Programme include attic/cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation where required, windows and doors replacement where required, heat pump installation and ancillary and associated works.

All local authorities have received their full allocation under the newly revised 2021 programme. The budget for 2021 is €45m and Donegal County Council has received an allocation of €1,569,993 for the retrofit of a minimum 58 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal BER standard.