Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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103. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider making it mandatory that if a home is to be retrofitted, it will be checked for swifts and bats nesting; if such is found, if nesting boxes are put in place after a roof is retrofitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27967/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Retrofit Plan published last year as part of the Climate Action Plan 2021 sets out the Government’s approach to retrofitting 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 and installing 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes by 2030. This represents approximately 30% of the housing stock and is among the most ambitious retrofit programmes worldwide. In February, as part of the delivery of the Retrofit Plan, the Government approved a package of supports including a new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (NHEUS) providing increased grant levels of up to 50% (up from 30%-35%) of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard.

These supports address the barriers to undertaking deeper energy retrofits reported by homeowners and those working in the industry. The SEAI have established a network of registered One Stop Shops to offer a new, start-to-finish project management service for the NHEUS, including access to financing, for home energy upgrades.

Breeding and resting places of protected wildlife are afforded protection under the Wildlife Acts and EU law. Therefore, disturbance to protected wildlife or their breeding/resting places may be an offence. SEAI has published a set of Domestic Technical Standards and Specifications which all contractors registered with SEAI are required to comply with. As set out in that document if there is evidence of species of wildlife present in the attic space to be insulated, the Contractor should consult with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) for advice on how to proceed and if there is evidence of bats or bat roosts to consult with Bat Conservation Ireland.