Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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117. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of projects in respect of the national trust transition fund being supported in counties Offaly and Laois; the nature of such projects; the total value of the projects; and the number of full-time and indirect jobs created in these projects to date. [36196/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Government remains committed to a just transition in the Midlands region and has dedicated significant funding to supporting workers, companies and communities affected by the closure of the peat-fired power stations and the end of peat extraction by Bord na Móna.To date, 56 National Just Transition Fund projects have entered into a grant agreement with my Department, with €21.5 million in grant funding to be provided through the National Just Transition Fund. These projects will bring €12.4 million in additional funding to the region and support an estimated 174 direct jobs and 987 indirect jobs, as reported by grantees.

18 of these projects are based in County Offaly, and 3 of these projects are based in County Laois. The total value of these 21 projects is approximately €11.2 million, with €9 million of this to be provided by the National Just Transition Fund. These projects have reported that they will support an estimated 19 direct jobs and 231 indirect jobs over the period of the Fund.

The objective of the National Just Transition Fund is to support a diverse range of innovative projects that contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the wider Midlands region. They include new enterprise hubs, supporting local business and community development, research and exploratory studies, tourism and heritage projects, development of greenways, and opportunities for education, training and reskilling. Further information on these projects is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/ed10d-just-transition-fund

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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118. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of contractors in respect of the midlands retrofit one-stop shop currently employed in counties Offaly and Laois; and the number of deep retrofits completed in these counties to date. [36197/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Earlier this year, the Government approved a package of supports aimed at making it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills and lower emissions.The supports included a new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme which offers increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump (up from the current level of 30-35%).

The National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme introduces a new, highly customer centric, way to undertake home upgrades. SEAI registered One-Stop-Shops 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.  

As part of these new supports, new increased grant rates are available under the Better Energy Homes scheme and Community Energy Grant scheme, thereby allowing homeowners to choose the best home upgrade option to suit their particular needs. The Better Energy Homes Scheme allows homeowners to take a step-by-step approach or self-manage the project. The Community Energy Grant Scheme is also available for homeowners wishing to undertake their energy upgrades as part of a community project.

The SEAI advise that eight One Stop Shops have now been registered and SEAI is actively working with applicant organisations to support them through this registration process. One-Stop-Shops will be distributed across Ireland, with an increased number offering services nationwide through their network of contractors throughout the country, including counties Laois and Offaly. Other One-Stop-Shops will work within geographic regions.

The SEAI advise that under the Community Energy Grant Scheme, the Project Co-ordinators work nationally and across multiple counties expanding their overall reach. There are currently 752 contractors serving the Leinster area under the Better Energy Home Scheme; 32 contractors are located in Laois and 29 in Offaly.

Data provided by the SEAI on the number of homes upgraded to a post works BER B2 or better under each scheme in Counties Laois and Offaly can be found detailed in the below table. Homes for 2022 under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme and Community Energy Grant Scheme are not expected to be completed until later this year. The Warmer Homes Scheme is a fully funded scheme for suitable homes of eligible applicants. Upgrade works recommended are based on a standard suite of measures offered through the scheme.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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119. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of jobs created in respect of proposed Government investment of €108 million in the Bord na Móna peatlands climate action scheme; the location of such jobs; and if such jobs are permanent or part-time. [36198/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Bord na Móna Enhanced Decommissioning, Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme (EDRRS) was established in 2020, as part of the Just Transition. It is sponsored by my Department and regulated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), with Bord Na Móna acting as the operators of the scheme. The EDRRS provides for the enhanced rehabilitation of 33,000 hectares of Bord na Móna peatlands that had been previously harvested for peat extraction for electricity generation over a 5-year period.

All of the lands being rehabilitated are operated under Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licences granted by the Environmental Protection Agency, and the EDRRS is building on, and complementing, the measures required under IPC licences. This rehabilitation will improve ecological and hydrological conditions in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, where conditions are suitable, reinstate carbon sequestration conditions over time.

The EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) is investing up to €108 million in the EDRRS. This funding supports a just transition by maintaining jobs in the Midlands, as well as laying the foundation for more substantial and sustainable job creation into the future. Permanent and seasonal employees who had been involved in peat production to date across counties Galway, Meath, Kildare, Westmeath, Offaly, Roscommon, Laois and Longford, have been provided an opportunity for employment by Bord na Móna on rehabilitation and greenway activities, including EDRRS, or other Bord na Móna activities. The peak number employed on EDRRS to date is 225.