Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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163. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the total funding allocated to the Irish Environment Network in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and in Budget 2024. [55026/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Irish Environmental Network (IEN) is an independent umbrella organisation whose members are nationally active Irish Environmental NGOs. The group represents on a broad range of environmental issues relating to climate change.

I have included in the table below, the total funding allocated by my Department to the IEN for 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 . Funding for the organisation has risen by 141% in this time. The IEN funding proposal for 2024 is currently being reviewed within my Department.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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167. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment how many heat pumps were installed per SEAI scheme in 2020, 2021, 2022 and in 2023 to date, in tabular form; the post-BER ratings per SEAI scheme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55034/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Retrofit Plan sets out the Government's approach to achieving the Climate Action Plan targets of upgrading the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal level and installing 400,000 heat pumps to replace older, less efficient heating systems by 2030.

To promote and incentivise the achievement of these targets, last year, the Government launched a package of significantly enhanced supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades.

Included in the measures was a significant increase in 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, 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.

Following the introduction of the new measures, 27,200 home energy upgrades were supported in 2022, which represents a 79% increase year-on year. Figures to end of November 2023 show 43,376 home energy upgrades have been delivered so far this year of which 15,753 are to a BER rating of B2 or higher. These figures exceed the year-end targets set for both of just over 37,000 and 13,800 respectively.

The most recent data from SEAI shows that 3,401 heat pumps have been installed this year to end November 2023, equating to a 85% increase on November 2022. A further breakdown of heat pump installations by SEAI scheme for each of the years 2020 to 2023 (to end November) can be found in the below table.

Data on the post-BER ratings per heat pump installation per scheme is not routinely reported to the Department by SEAI. Therefore, I have asked SEAI to provide the post-BER ratings per heat pump installation per scheme for the period 2020-2023, in so far as it is available, as soon as possible.