Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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341. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of social homes that have been retrofitted to date by county through the 2021 energy efficiency retrofitting programme; the funding allocated to each local authority for this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54547/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The newly revised ten year Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme launched in 2021 is designed around the Programme for Government commitment 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. The newly revised programme involves a move from a 'shallow' to a 'deeper' retrofit of local authority homes.

The €65 million Budget support provided in 2021 has been allocated to local authorities, 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. A breakdown of the latter allocation along with the minimum target number of homes each local authority is required to retrofit are outlined in the table attached.  

The Covid-19 pandemic restrictions has had a negative impact on the work of the local authorities in regard to this programme causing delays in surveying, tendering and retrofitting works, and delays also in the supply line delivery (particularly concerning the delivery of Heat Pumps, Windows, Doors, and Insulation). While some authorities have indicated delays in the delivery of their targeted units this year, a number have indicated their capacity to complete additional units, and revisions have been made to take account of these increases. 

To date, claims have been received in respect of 199 properties under the 2021 Energy Efficient Programme but very significant additional claims are expected from local authorities in the coming weeks. Claims to date are set out in the table below;

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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342. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of council homes that have been retrofitted under the midlands retrofit programme 2020, by county; the associated funding costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54548/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In 2020 funding of €20 million was made available as part of the Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan for an energy efficiency retrofitting programme to fund upgrades to local authority houses in the midlands, under the 'Just Transition' programme. The Midland Retrofit Programme was established as a pilot programme to provide learnings on the move to 'deeper retrofit', to trial the aggregation concept and provide economic stimulus to the counties most affected by the cessation of peat harvesting for electricity generation. It centered therefore on upgrading larger batches of homes in distinct, compact geographical areas.

The Midlands Retrofit Programme has experienced significant delays due to the effects of COVID-19 and other obstacles including tendering and supply chain issues particularly concerning Heat Pumps, Windows & Doors, and Insulation. Notwithstanding the impact of Covid-19, local authorities undertook a lot of the preparatory work on the Programme in 2020 and in 2021 brought their targeted units to tender and commencement stage.

To date, 100 of the proposed 750 units have been completed and the remainder are either on site or at tender stage. A significant number of additional homes will be completed by the year end with the balance to be completed by Q2 2022.

The table below sets out the number of confirmed units completed by each local authority under the programme. No funding has been recouped at this time on retrofitting works under the programme but it is expected that claims from local authorities will be submitted in the coming weeks.