Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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152. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the budget allocation for attic and cavity wall insulation for 2022; the number of applications to date in 2022 for each; the number of works completed to date in 2022 for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56438/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action Plan set a target to reduce emissions from the residential sector by retrofitting the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal and installing 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end-2030.

Earlier this year the Government launched a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades. In recognition of the importance of high-impact shallow measures in reducing household energy demand, a special enhanced grant rate of up to 80% was introduced specifically for attic insulation and cavity wall insulation for all households. These grants are available as individual energy upgrades, under the Better Energy Homes Scheme, or as part of a complete home energy upgrade solution through the One Stop Shops, under the new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme and the Community Energy Grant Scheme. Attic and cavity insulation are also carried out free of charge for those who qualify under the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme.

The budgets for attic and cavity wall insulation are not itemised separately under each scheme but are incorporated into the overall budgets for 2022. A total of €244.2 million has been allocated for SEAI residential and community retrofit schemes and the Solar PV scheme in 2022. This capital allocation reflects the adjustment in July on foot of the Supplementary Estimate for my Department.

So far this year, demand for attic and cavity insulation grants has been very strong with a near tripling in applications under the Better Energy Homes Scheme. The SEAI, in their most recent forecasts, advise that they expect to complete in the order of 20,000 attic and cavity wall insulations by the year-end.