Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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120. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the average waiting time to access the warmer homes scheme in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44525/24]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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121. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the average waiting list time as part of the warmer homes scheme, broken down by country in the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44539/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 121 together.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates the Warmer Homes Scheme on behalf of my Department. Delivering free energy upgrades to low-income households in or at risk of energy poverty is a top priority for the Government. Since 2000 over 161,190 homes have been upgraded under this scheme.

In recent years, the 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 €26,464 in 2024. These deeper upgrades mean that more lower income homeowners are benefitting to a far greater extent from the scheme. However, it is important to acknowledge that deeper retrofits take longer to complete.

The 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 and 10,511 applications to date in 2024.

Data provided by the SEAI on timelines for the programme is at a national level. The table below sets out the average waiting time by year for the scheme.

It is important to note that the scheme was impacted significantly by construction sector closures and restrictions on home visits associated with COVID-19 in recent years which resulted in a build-up of applications.

Significant reductions in the average waiting time for works to be completed have been achieved this year, reducing from 26 months in 2022 to 17 months for the worst performing homes (rated E, F and G) for homes completed so far in 2024.

This has been achieved in part through the following actions taken to reduce the timeline to completion and increase output under the scheme:

• SEAI has been allocated additional staff for the Warmer Homes Scheme.

• SEAI work to increase contractor output through active contract engagement and management.

• Actions to address ongoing supply chain and inflationary pressures.

• A record budget allocation of €208.8m for 2024.

• European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding of €264 million has been secured for the period 2021 until 2027 to supplement Exchequer funding for the Scheme.

• A new €700 million contractor panel has been put in place for the next 4 years, which has increased contractor capacity to 36.

Budget 2025 announced record funding for residential and community energy upgrades which will be supplemented by an increased allocation from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and will increase the Warmer Homes Scheme budget to €240 million. The 2025 allocation for the scheme represents a 10-fold increase on the 2020 expenditure figure.

My officials continue to work with SEAI to maximise and accelerate the output of free energy upgrades provided under this scheme.