Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of applicants for the fully funded retrofits under the warmer homes scheme each year for the past five years, per county, in tabular form. [35528/22]

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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104. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of households approved for the fully funded retrofits under the warmer homes scheme each year for the past five years, per county, in tabular form. [35529/22]

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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105. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the average wait time between submitting an application for the warmer homes scheme and receiving approval, per county, over the past five years. [35530/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 105, inclusive, together.

The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households who are most at risk of energy poverty. It is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Since the start of the scheme in 2000, over 145,000 free upgrades have been supported by the scheme. In 2021, the average cost of the energy efficiency measures provided per household had increased to €17,620.

Activity under the scheme, and the associated expenditure, were significantly impacted in both 2020 and 2021 by the COVID pandemic, when construction activity was paused for approximately 12 months in total. Furthermore, access to properties during restricted periods, in line with Government guidelines, was often challenging.

There are currently over 9,000 homes awaiting works on the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme work programme. This includes homes that are currently undergoing works; have been allocated to contractors for works; have completed an initial home survey and are awaiting allocation to a contractor or are awaiting the initial survey of their home.  It is important to note that the SEAI received 4,077 applications for the scheme  to the end of May this year, compared with 2,874 for the whole of 2021.  The increased publicity around the launch of the new SEAI National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme and revisions to the Warmer Homes Scheme, together with increased energy costs are driving demand.

Reducing the waiting times on the Warmer Homes scheme waiting list is a top priority for my Department and SEAI and in order to reduce this timeline to completion and target a monthly average of 400 completions this year, the following actions have already been taken:

- The budget, at €109 million, is nearly three times the 2021 outturn (€38 million) and funding has also been sought through the European Regional Development Fund;

- SEAI has been allocated additional staff for the Warmer Homes Scheme;

- SEAI is working to Increase contractor output through active contract engagement and management.

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of applicants by county is not routinely reported by SEAI.  However, the number of applicants nationally in the past five years is set out below.

The number of approvals (i.e. homes completed) by county in the past five years is set out in the Table below.

Data in relation to average wait time by County is not routinely collected by SEAI presently but will be monitored going forward.  SEAI reports to my Department on the average cycle times from application to completion which is set out in the Table below. It is important to note that waiting times and cycle times have been affected by COVID related issues.  In addition there are deeper measures being provided under the scheme since 2018, which involve more substantive works.