Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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175. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a person (details supplied) qualifies for an SEAI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54026/21]

Eamon 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 lower income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date over 143,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme leaving them better able to afford to heat their homes to an adequate level. During the first 6 months of 2021, the approximate average value of the energy efficiency measures provided per household was €17,100.

There are currently over 7,000 homeowners on the Warmer Homes Scheme work programme who have never received any upgrade works under the scheme. SEAI data indicates that for homes completed in the first half of 2021, the average time from application to completion was almost 26 months. The SEAI has advised me that wait times vary, based on the demand for the scheme at the time of application as well as other factors including the scale of works to be completed, access to the property, availability of materials and the weather.

Revisits under this scheme are currently not available. This enables the work programme to prioritise eligible homes that have not previously received free upgrades under the scheme. Recommendations on the implementation of changes to the scheme to better target those most in need will be finalised and published shortly.

It is important to note that under the Warmer Homes Scheme, windows are only replaced, when deemed necessary by an SEAI surveyor, and in certain circumstances where existing windows are single glazing and where the walls are being insulated. The grants available through SEAI aim to maximise emission 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.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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176. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of applications for the SEAI warmer homes grant; the current average length of time persons are waiting for SEAI warmer homes grant works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54079/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low-income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date, over 143,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme. In the first six months of 2021, the average value of the energy efficiency measures provided per household was approximately €17,100. There are currently over 7,000 homeowners on the Warmer Homes Scheme work programme. Data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) indicates that for homes completed in the first half of 2021, the average time from application to completion was approximately 26 months. The SEAI has advised that wait times vary, based on the demand for the scheme at the time of application as well as other factors including the scale of works to be completed, access to the property, availability of materials and the weather.

The average wait times have increased significantly due to the extensive COVID-19 related restrictions on construction activity in place during much of 2020 as well as between January and mid-April this year when the scheme was fully paused in line with Government guidelines. Wait times have also been negatively impacted by challenges associated with availability and longer lead time for materials. However, delivery capacity in the supply chain has increased due to a new, broader contractor panel that commenced at the end of 2020.

Funding for SEAI energy poverty retrofit schemes has increased significantly to over €109 million in 2021, with €100 million allocated to the Warmer Homes Scheme. This is an increase of €47 million on the 2020 allocation and means that almost half of the total SEAI residential and community retrofit budget is available to 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. I have also secured additional resources this year to expand the capacity of the SEAI to deliver the scheme.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of heat pumps that have been installed to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54080/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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A heat pump system harnesses energy from free renewable sources outside the building in order to heat both the house and its hot water. Heat pumps are an environmentally friendly, decarbonised and extremely efficient alternative to oil, gas and solid fuel heating systems. The most common heat pumps work by converting energy from the air outside of the home into useful heat inside. The Climate Action Plan sets a target of installing 600,000 heat pumps by end-2030 of which 400,000 are to replace existing heating systems.

The number of homes fitted with a heat pump from 2010 to 2020 is set out in the table below. The information is based on Grant Schemes and Building Energy Rating (BER) data available to SEAI and as such includes the great majority of heat pumps installed.