Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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169. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the financial support available for community organisations, such as charities and community centres, to get an energy audit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16346/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department funds a broad range of energy supports administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) that are widely available to support businesses and organisations across the private and public sectors to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their carbon emissions.

The Support Scheme for Energy Audits (SSEA), administered by SEAI, provides support to carry out energy audits thereby encouraging organisations to implement the energy saving measures identified. It is open to all public and private sector organisations that have an annual energy expenditure of €10,000 or more and which are not already required to carry out an energy audit under the Energy Efficiency Directive.

The budget for the scheme in 2022 was originally €600,000 however, in response to significant demand, additional funding was made available and €1.75m was paid out in 2022. While the budget for 2023 has increased to €2m. The budget will be kept under active review.

In addition, SEAI administers a Community Energy Grant Scheme, which provides funding for a range of improvements to existing buildings and facilities, including the installation of insulation, heat pump systems, replacement windows/doors, solar Photo-Voltaic technology, as well as other energy upgrades. The Scheme supports cross-sectoral and community-oriented partnership approaches that deliver energy savings to a range of building types including public, commercial and community buildings with a particular focus on using the projects to deliver home retrofits.

A number of other SEAI grant schemes may also be of interest to community organisations:

• The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) provides financial support in the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users.
• The EXEED Certified grant scheme supports organisations with the costs of embedding energy efficient design in their assets, to reduce life cycle impact with lower energy use and carbon emissions.
• Energy Academy is an online learning platform for business to help them reduce their energy costs.
• Accelerated Capital Allowance is a tax incentive encouraging investment in energy saving products.