Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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256. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason that the 2021 estimates for the energy transformation programme outlined in the estimates under the Budget 2022 expenditure report were adjusted in the 2022 revised estimates; the reason that the 2022 estimates for the energy transformation programme outlined in the estimates under the Budget 2022 were adjusted in the 2022 Revised Estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19667/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The 2021 Revised Estimates Volume (REV) originally had a capital allocation of €270.033m for the Energy programme. This was increased by €28.001m via the Technical Supplementary Estimate (TSE) that was voted through the Dáil in December 2021. The 2022 Budget was first released in October 2021 prior to the TSE vote.The extensive COVID-19 related restrictions on construction activity between January and mid-April had a significant impact on activity for the National Broadband Plan and Sustainable Energy Programmes. The TSE allowed my Department to re-allocate the underspend of €52.5m from Subhead A.3 – Information and Communications Technology Programme, which holds the National Broadband Plan, to subheads B.4, E.4, E.5, E.10 and E.11. The €28.001m transferred to B.4 was combined with the €132m underspend and facilitated a transfer of €160m to the Energy Efficiency National Fund. Details of all the transfers are in the below table:

The 2022 Budget Estimate Volume (BEV) was prepared using the 2021 Subhead Structure. Prior to the release of the 2022 REV the Subhead Structure had changed. Three new subheads were introduced and two new subheads replaced B.4 – Sustainable Energy Programmes. The details of the new subheads and the funding allocated are detailed below:

The 2022 Subheads B.4 and B.5 replaced the 2021 subhead B.4 – Sustainable Energy Programmes. The 2022 BEV had allocated €14.975m in Current and €280.369m in Capital funding to B.4, this was decreased by €0.2m in Current and increased by €14.499m in Capital for REV 2022 and spread across the new subheads B.4 and B.5.

Subheads B.6, B.10 and B.11 are new subheads, the allocations were not included in BEV 2022, their combined total amounted to an increase of €1.056m in Current and €0.001m in Capital for Programme B: Energy transformation.

Other subheads within the Energy programme were adjusted prior to the release of REV 2022, the details of all changes are in the table below:

The pre-Budget Estimates are published as part of the Pre-Budget Outlook in October; the Budget Estimates are published at Budget time and it is these Estimates – as subsequently updated in the Revised Estimates Volume – that are voted on by the Dáil. It is common for the figures published on Budget day to be adjusted prior to publication of the REV.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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257. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the target output for the number of homes upgraded to a building energy rating of B2 or above outlined in the 2022 Revised Estimates remains at 8,640; if it has since been adjusted; the projected cost of meeting the output target; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19668/22]

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. This year, total funding of €267 million has been allocated to the SEAI for residential and community retrofit schemes and the Solar PV scheme, of which, €202 million is carbon tax receipts. This funding allocation will be used to support 27,000 home energy upgrades across all schemes including 8,640 homes to a post-works Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2. The individual SEAI schemes will contribute to meeting this B2 target.  

Achieving B2 status for homeowners is central to the recently launched National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme which introduces a new, highly customer centric, way to undertake home upgrades. SEAI registered One-Stop-Shops will provide an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying; designing the upgrades; managing the grant process; helping with access to finance; engaging contractors; and quality assurance. The Scheme offers unprecedented grant levels, increased from around 30% to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump.