Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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155. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the breakdown from 2022 to 2030 of the €3 billion funding for the national retrofit plan not funded by carbon tax receipts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9850/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 (or cost optimal equivalent), and to install 400,000 heat pumps to replace existing heating systems by 2030. The review of the National Development Plan (NDP) resulted in an unprecedented financial commitment to support achievement of the Government’s retrofit targets. A total of €8 billion of Exchequer funding (including €5 billion in carbon tax revenues) will be available to support residential upgrades to 2030.

The planned annual allocations for Residential Retrofitting as outlined in the Climate Action Plan 2021 are set out in the table below with adjustments to the 2022 figure reflecting the recent Government decision on specific supports to aid the delivery of Ireland's National Retrofit Programme.

In addition, the Department has been successful in its application for a further €111.7m for the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme to be included in the draft European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Co-funded programme 2021-2027. The draft programme is currently being reviewed by the Regional Assemblies.

This year, total funding allocation of €267 million has been allocated to the SEAI for residential and community retrofit schemes and the Solar PV scheme in 2022, of which, €202 million is carbon tax receipts.

The breakdown of funding allocations between exchequer funding and carbon tax receipts will be agreed annually as part of the Estimates process.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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156. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the target number of homes to be completed under the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme in 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9851/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households at risk of energy poverty.  It is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Since the start of the scheme in 2000, over 143,000 free upgrades have been supported by the scheme.  In 2021, the average cost of the energy efficiency measures provided per household had increased to €17,100.

There are currently just over 7,000 homes awaiting works on the Warmer Homes Scheme work programme. This includes homes that are at various stages of the process: awaiting the initial survey of their home; have completed an initial home survey and are awaiting allocation to a contractor; have been allocated to a contractor for works; or, are currently undergoing works. It is important to note that activity under the Scheme in 2020 and 2021 was significantly impacted by COVID-related restrictions on the construction sector, given the nature of retrofit works, and this led to a large increase in the number of homes awaiting works. 

The 2022 budget, at €109 million, is the highest ever and is nearly three times the 2021 outturn (€38 million). This will support an increase in the number of homes retrofitted under the scheme from 177 per month in 2021 to 400 per month (or a total of 4,800) this year. The level of activity to be undertaken in 2023 will be determined , taking account of progress this year and as part of the 2023 Estimates process.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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157. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the target number of homes to be completed under the attic and cavity wall insulation scheme in 2022 and 2023; the budget for this scheme in both years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9852/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government has approved a package of supports as part of the deliver of Ireland’s residential retrofit programme. These measures are aimed at making it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills.

Included in these measures is the introduction of a special enhanced grant rate, equivalent to 80% of the typical cost, for attic and cavity wall insulation. The grant offering will be available across all part-funded schemes and will be available to all households in 2022, as a sustainable and enduring response to the current exceptionally high energy prices.

Funding for the initiative will be met from within the overall funding allocation of €267 million for the SEAI for residential and community retrofit schemes 2022. Decisions on the level of funding for the initiative in future years will be considered as part of the annual Estimates process.

The exceptionally high grants should secure strong interest among homeowners to avail of these energy upgrade measures this year, however the Scheme is obviously demand led and precise uptake is difficult to predict. SEAI estimates indicate that total numbers availing of the enhanced grant could double from a combined 4,500 to 9,000 or above.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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158. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the carbon emission savings from deep retrofitting 1,000 homes under the national home energy upgrade scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9853/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government has approved a package of improved supports as part of the delivery of Ireland’s residential retrofit programme. These measures are aimed at making it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills and emissions.

Included in these measures is the establishment of the new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme, offering increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump (up from the current level of 30-35%).

Capital funding of €40 million has been allocated to the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme this year which is expected to deliver 2,000 deep energy retrofits to B2 level with a heat pump.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) estimates that this level of output could achieve annual savings of 6.3 kilotonnes of CO2.  However, it is important to note that savings will depend on the characteristics of the homes availing of the grant measures, in particular size, as well as other factors such as existing levels of insulation and heating fuel type.