Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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332. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of social houses that were retrofitted in 2020, 2021 and 2022; and the projected figure for 2023. [15471/23]

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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333. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of approved housing body units that were retrofitted in 2020, 2021 and 2022; and the projected figure for 2023. [15472/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 333 together.

My Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP) in 2013 with the aim of funding the retrofitting of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 to the end of 2022, over 77,500 local authority social housing dwellings have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of over €251 million.

In 2021 a new holistic approach was applied to the programme, designed around the Programme for Government's commitment led by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) that calls for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a BER (building energy rating) of B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent standard by 2030, of which, approximately 36,500 are expected to be local authority owned homes.

A breakdown of the funding provided for retrofitting social homes and the output per local authority since 2013 can be found on the Department's website below:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/

My Department also introduced a pilot Midlands Energy Retrofit Programme in 2020, the details of which are found on the Department's website below. A further 481 properties were retrofitted to a BER of B2/ Cost Optimal Equivalent and these figures are in addition to the National Retrofit Programme.

www.gov.ie/en/publication/b86b3-midlands-energy-retrofit-programme-expenditure-and-units/

The 2023 EERP national budget provides an increase in funding support from €85 million allocated in 2022 to €87 million this year. Details of this year’s programme, including target allocations, are being finalised, however, local authorities have been advised they can complete works up to 65% of the previous year’s allocation in the absence of formal approval to keep this important work going.

Separately, the number of dwellings retrofitted by AHBs is not collated by my Department but funding is available for same from the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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334. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there are plans to establish a dedicated retrofit fund for approved housing bodies. [15473/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Housing for All includes an action (21.7) to introduce a targeted energy efficiency retrofit scheme for Approved Housing Bodies. In this regard, the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme, launched on 8 February 2022, includes enhanced grant levels for certain measures, specifically for Approved Housing Bodies. Responsibility for the implementation of this Action rests with my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications.