Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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147. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of revenue generated from the carbon tax 2021 that has been spent to date funding the national retrofitting programme; the number of homes that have been retrofitted as a result of this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47241/21]

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/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings by end 2030. The development of the national retrofit plan to achieve these targets is well underway.  Some €221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year for SEAI residential and community retrofit programmes, including the Solar PV scheme and the Building Energy Rating programme, of which €113 million is Carbon Tax revenue.

Of the total budget, €109 million is allocated to provide free upgrades for lower income households with the balance of €112.5 million to be spent on expanding existing SEAI residential and community grant schemes and introducing new initiatives.

Of the overall capital allocation for 2021, €48.9 million has been spent as of 16 September and over 5,600 homes have been retrofitted.  It is important to note that extensive COVID-19 related restrictions on construction activity between January and mid-April had a significant impact on activity this year. Output has also been negatively impacted by challenges associated with availability and longer lead times for materials. Every effort is being made to maximise output over the coming months.