Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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8. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there are plans to reduce the wait time for free energy upgrades (warmer homes scheme); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27603/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In recent years, the Warmer Homes Scheme has delivered a greater volume of deeper and more complex upgrades. This is reflected in the average cost of upgrades which have seen an almost tenfold increase from €2,600 in 2015 to just over €25,800 in 2024.

These deeper upgrades mean that more lower income homeowners are benefitting significantly from warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills and reduced emissions. However, it is important to acknowledge that deeper retrofits take longer to complete.

This improvement in the upgrades provided under the scheme in tandem with increased awareness of the multiple benefits of retrofit are driving significantly increased levels of demand. Approximately 24,000 applications from homeowners were received in 2022 and 2023 combined.

For homes completed in 2023, the average waiting time from application to completion was 20 months. This is a reduction from 26 months for homes completed in 2022.

A range of measures introduced by my Department and SEAI contributed to the reduction in waiting times, including:

• significantly increased budgets and budget certainty with a record spend of €158 million in 2023 and an allocation of almost €210 million in place for 2024;
• increased staffing resources in SEAI; and
• actions to address supply chain challenges.

This scheme is a top priority for me and the Government. My officials continue to work with the SEAI to maximise and accelerate the output of free energy upgrades provided under this important scheme.