Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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112. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the commitment in the Energy Poverty Action Plan to introduce a mechanism to ensure homeowners have the option of paying for upgrades “net of grant”, and to explore options to support homeowners to convert from oil and solid fuel to heat pumps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9979/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action Plan includes 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 by the end of 2030. An Exchequer investment of €8 billion to 2030 has been ring fenced to support the achievement of these targets.

The National Retrofit Plan sets out the Government's approach for achieving these targets. The Plan is underpinned by a number of principles including fairness and universality and as such, there is a need to ensure that all housing types and consumer cohorts can participate. This was reflected in the package of supports launched by Government last February to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades. This included grants of up to €10,500 to support the installation of a heat pump with emitters such as radiators.

Through the implementation of the actions set out in the Climate Action Plan, National Retrofit Plan and the Energy Poverty Action Plan, Government will continue, improve and expand the accessibility and affordability of retrofitting for those in energy poverty.

Work in SEAI is ongoing in relation to the Energy Poverty Action Plan commitments to explore options to further support homeowners to convert from oil and solid fuel heating to heat pumps and to ensure that homeowners continue to have the option of only paying the cost of their upgrade "net of grant" with outputs from this work expected shortly.