Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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90. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the number of retrofits in 2022; the measures being taken to ensure an increase in take-up in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9947/23]

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.

In February last year, the Government launched a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades. The key measures introduced include:

- a new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (NHEUS) providing increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard.

- establishment of a network of One Stop Shops offering a start-to-finish project management service for home energy upgrades.

- aligning many of the grant supports available under the Better Energy Homes Scheme and the Community Energy Grant Scheme with the NHEUS rates.

- a special enhanced grant rate of 80% for attic and cavity wall insulation for all households in recognition of the importance of high-impact shallow measures.

Demand across the SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes was exceptionally high in 2022 as the figures below highlight:

- 27,200 home energy upgrades were supported compared to 15,246 in 2021 - a 79% increase year-on year.

- Of these, 8,481 upgrades were to a post works Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2 or better, compared to 4,345 in 2021 - a 95% increase year-on-year.

- Of the overall figure, 4,438 free energy upgrades were delivered under SEAI energy poverty schemes, compared to 2,398 in 2021 - a 85% increase year-on-year.

- Over 50,000 applications received in 2022 which is up 150% on 2021 levels and points to a robust pipeline of activity for 2023.

My Department is working with SEAI to build on this strong performance. A target of 37,000 retrofits has been set for 2023, and a record €356 million in funding has been allocated to SEAI this year for residential and community retrofit to support the achievement of this target.