Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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52. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if retrofitting grants will be available to persons with solid fuel central heating systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25063/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As part of the implementation of the Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan, in February 2022 the Government announced a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills and lower emissions. While this includes homeowners reliant on solid fuel for heating, grant supports are not available to replace solid fuel central heating systems under the SEAI part-funded residential energy upgrade schemes unless upgrading to a heat pump. However, under the Warmer Homes scheme, which provides fully funded upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty new heating systems can be installed in certain circumstances.

As part of the new supports, new increased grant rates are available under SEAI administered schemes. The Better Energy Homes Scheme (Individual Grant Scheme) allows homeowners to take a step-by-step approach or self-manage the project, while the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme and the Community Energy Grant Scheme are aimed towards homeowners wishing to undertake a whole home energy upgrade to achieve a BER of at least B2.

Over the longer term, the Government has committed to significant funding of residential energy efficiency measures and investment in alternative fuels which will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and lower the cost of heating our homes. Accordingly, as part of the measures introduced in 2022, the heat pump grant was significantly increased with grant support for an air to water heat pump increasing from €3,500 to up to €6,500. For homeowners undertaking a deep retrofit with a heat pump under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (NHEUS) or the Community Energy Grant (CEG) Scheme, additional grant support is available towards required heating system upgrades (emitters etc) as well as a bonus payment of €2,000 to eligible homeowners. This equates to a potential grant support of up to €10,500 available to homeowners upgrading to a heat pump as part of a deep retrofit project.

Furthermore, the construction rule for grant support for installation of heat pumps was changed to allow for homes built and occupied before 2021, making more homeowners eligible for the grant.