Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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125. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a product (details supplied) is not being funded under the scheme for the insulation of houses; if so, the reason the product is not being used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14029/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Contractors installing insulation under any scheme supported by a Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant must carry out the works using approved materials and in line with the SEAI’s Domestic Technical Standards and Specifications and best practice and technical guidance documents, including:- S.R. 54:2014 Code of practice for the energy efficient retrofit of dwellings;

- Building Regulations Technical Guidance Documents (Latest updates of Part L, Part B, Part C, Part D, Part F, Part J, Part M in particular);

- The System Supplier/ Product Manufacturer Guidelines;

- National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) Agrément certificates; and

- Irish, British or European Standards Guides.

The materials used must be manufactured to a relevant Irish, British or European Standard and be certified by the NSAI Agrément or equivalent.

All spray foam attic insulation must be Irish Agrément Certified or have equivalent certificate. The issue of equivalence is raised frequently and it was agreed that the NSAI will assess equivalence as it is outside SEAI’s remit. NSAI have deemed that this particular product does not have equivalent certification.

Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party)
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126. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has considered introducing an equity release scheme for pensioners and persons nearing the pension age as part of the retrofit package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14035/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Retrofit Plan sets out the Government's approach to achieving the Climate Action Plan targets of upgrading the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal level and installing 400,000 heat pumps to replace older, less efficient heating systems by 2030. The Plan is designed to address barriers to retrofit across four key areas: driving demand and activity; financing and funding; supply chain, skills and standards; and governance. In line with commitments in the Plan, the Government recently approved a package of significantly enhanced supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades.The new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme will provide increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard. A network of One Stop Shops will offer a new end-to-end project management service for homeowners. This includes surveying the home; designing the upgrades; managing the grant processes; helping with access to finance; engaging the contractors to deliver the work and then quality-assuring that work.

In addition, increased grants for attic and cavity wall insulation have also been made available, covering 80% of the cost to homeowners of these highly cost-effective upgrade measures. Free upgrades are also available for households at risk of energy poverty. My Department is also developing a residential retrofit loan guarantee scheme which will enable financial institutions to offer loans with reduced interest rates for retrofit projects. An equity release scheme is not being considered at this time.