Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

212. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of applications that were made by qualifying homeowners for the SEAI free energy upgrade scheme in County Meath in each of the years from 2019 to date; the waiting times for applications to be processed and works to be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5617/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty.  It is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).  Since the beginning of the roll-out of energy poverty schemes, over 146,000 homes have received free upgrades.  The average cost of the energy efficiency measures provided per household in 2021 in the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme was €17,100.For all works completed in 2021, the average waiting time from application date to works completed was approximately 26 months.  The SEAI has advised that wait times may vary, based on a number of issues. For instance, once the survey is completed and works are allocated to a contractor, the time to complete works is dependent on a number of factors including the scale of works to be completed, access to the property, availability of materials, weather and in recent years COVID-19 restrictions.  Waiting times have significantly increased as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions where Contractors were unable to carry out works for approximately 12 months. 

There are currently just over 7,000 homes awaiting works on the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme work programme. This includes homes that are currently undergoing works; have been allocated to contractors for works; have completed an initial home survey and are awaiting allocation to a contractor or are awaiting the initial survey of their home.  The SEAI aims to significantly reduce the waiting list in 2022, on the basis of working first on homes that are longest on the waiting list.

Budget 2022 has allocated €202 million for residential and community retrofit this year. Over half of this (€109 million) will be used to provide free energy efficiency upgrades to households in the Warmer Homes 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. I have secured additional resources in Budget 2022 to further expand the capacity of the SEAI to deliver the scheme.

The following table sets out the number of applications that were made by qualifying homeowners for the SEAI free energy upgrade scheme in County Meath in each of the years from 2019 to date:

There are currently 247 applications awaiting works in Co. Meath, 114 of which are with Contractors.