Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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327. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason for the slow process in relation to the insulation of local authority properties in an area (details supplied); the reason such little funding has been allocated to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54220/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The newly revised ten year Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme was launched in 2021 in response to a commitment made under the Programme for Government to retrofit 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal BER standard by 2030, of which approximately 36,500 of those homes are expected to be local authority homes. A target of 2,400 social homes for upgrade works has been set for 2021, 750 of which relate to the Midlands Retrofit Pilot.

This new Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme is not only geared to meet the Programme for Government commitment but also addresses fuel poverty and the need to improve thermal performance in the social housing stock. The Programme has received a substantial increase in annual funding support to assist local authorities in the management and maintenance of their stock. The Programme will see a significant increase and ramping up of retrofitting works over the next number of years, building on the good work already undertaken by local authorities’ to-date.

The Programme requires local authorities to move to a deeper level of retrofitting, eligible works under the programme include attic/cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation, windows and external doors, heat pumps and ancillary works.

The programme has experienced significant delays due to the effects of COVID-19, and other issues including in the supply chain, particularly concerning Heat Pumps, Windows, Doors and Insulation. However, local authorities have undertaken a lot of preparatory work on the Programme in 2021 bringing their targeted units to tender and commencement stage.

A Budget of €65m has been allocated to local authorities in 2021, with €20 million allocated under the Midlands Retrofit Pilot as part of the 'Just Transition' programme, and the balance of €45 million under the 2021 Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme and Dublin City Council has received an overall allocation of €9,458,613 for the retrofit of a minimum of 412 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal BER standard.