Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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148. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the EXEED scheme administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland is consistent with EU state aid rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10939/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The EXEED (Excellence in Energy Efficient Design) Program is notified to the EU Commission under State Aid ‘General Block Exemption Regulation’ (GBER) EU regulation 651/2104. The period of notification is 01/01/2021 – 31/12/2023. State Aid ‘General Block Exemption Regulation’ (GBER) EU regulation 651/2104 declares specific categories of State Aid and how these categories must fulfil certain conditions. Aid fulfilling these conditions is exempted from the requirement of prior EU Commission approval.

The financial supports paid under EXEED are in compliance with State Aid rules, meaning:

- they are not in excess of the limitations set out in Article 38 (covering investment in energy efficiency measures) and Article 49 (covering aid for environmental studies) of the General Block Exemption Regulation;

- certain aspects such as counterfactual investment costs and incentive effect are evaluated as part of the application for financial support.

The criteria for successful eligible projects approved by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for the EXEED program comply with, and benefit from, the General Block Exemption Regulation.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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149. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way the veracity of incentive effect declarations are to be measured in relation to large multinationals availing of EXEED scheme funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10940/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department funds a number of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) support schemes to help businesses to improve the energy efficiency of their activities. However, the administration and management of applications under these schemes, including the Excellence in Energy Efficiency Design (EXEED) scheme, are an operational matter for the SEAI. In line with the SEAI EXEED Grant Guidelines (available at www.seai.ie/SEAI-EXEED-Grant-Guidelines-2021.pdf), the SEAI comprehensively assesses each project application for value for money and incentive effect, in line with state aid requirements. The declaration of incentive effect is one part of this assessment. Statements and evidence to this effect are required and evaluated at the time of application, and additional information sought where required.

Under the EXEED scheme, any project proposed is evaluated against the scheme criteria and not against the specific business or organisation. 

The SEAI established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that they can be addressed promptly, in line with SEAI’s objective to deliver services to the highest standards. The email address is oireachtas@seai.ie.