Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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202. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if improvements were made to the better energy warmer homes scheme in the recent Budget; if he is considering providing a grant for low-income households in order to avail of a free building energy rating assessment; if he has plans to include solar panels under the better energy warmer homes scheme; if double glazed windows are available under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55338/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Budget 2022 has allocated €202 million for SEAI residential and community retrofit schemes and a further €10 million for the Solar PV scheme next year. Of this amount, €109 million will be used to provide free energy efficiency upgrades to households that are in, or at risk of, energy poverty.

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.  In addition to the significant capital allocation for the Warmer Homes Scheme next year, resources have been provided to expand the capacity of the SEAI to deliver the scheme. In addition, delivery capacity in the supply chain has increased due to a new, broader contractor panel that commenced at the end of 2020.

Window replacement was introduced as a measure under the Warmer Homes Scheme in 2018. Window replacement can be recommended in limited circumstances, subject to a technical survey by SEAI. This recommendation is typically where only single glaze windows exist and where wall insulation is also being installed.

The measures available under the scheme were selected as the most likely to deliver significant energy savings to homeowners as well as the best value for money for the Exchequer. Currently, there are no plans to make solar panels available under the Scheme. Separately, the SEAI operates a grant scheme since July 20218 to help domestic customers who install rooftop solar photovoltaic equipment on homes built and occupied before 2011. In addition, the National Retrofit Plan includes a commitment to review ways to improve how current energy poverty schemes target those most in need. Recommendations in relation to the implementation of changes to the scheme to better target those most in need will be finalised shortly. A BER grant is currently available under the SEAI Better Energy Homes Scheme.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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203. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the average grant provided to a household in County Cork for retrofitting their home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55341/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of homes that have been retrofitted to date in 2021, by county; the number by county estimated to be retrofitted by the end of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55342/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 204 together.

My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Since 2000, over 450,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes, representing nearly one home in four across the country. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier to heat and light.

€221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year for SEAI residential and community retrofit programmes. This represents an 82% increase on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever for the schemes. This allocation has facilitated the expansion and improvement of existing SEAI grant schemes and the introduction of new initiatives.

Extensive COVID-19 related restrictions on construction activity in the residential sector between January and April have had a significant impact on activity and expenditure this year.  Over 9,800 retrofits have been delivered to date in 2021 and the SEAI estimate that the numbers will rise to over 16,000 by the end of the year. The request for the additional specific information sought by the Deputy has been forwarded to the SEAI and available data will be sent to the Deputy as soon as possible.

In addition to the schemes funded by my Department and operated by the SEAI, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage funds the Local Authority Retrofit Scheme. In 2021, €65 million was allocated for energy upgrades of Local Authority homes.