Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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335. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on whether grants can be made available for financing self-builds that are classed as eco-friendly homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21291/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their existing properties. Since 2000, over 465,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes, representing nearly one home in four across the country. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier to heat and light.

There are currently no plans to introduce a grant for financing self-builds that are classified as eco-friendly homes.

The Housing for All Plan, published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, commits that the Government and relevant State agencies will advance methods to reduce residential construction costs, particularly the cost of apartment construction, by increasing the focus of existing and planned construction related initiatives on the residential construction sector, and by ensuring a coordinated, whole-of-government, approach to residential construction.