Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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133. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the average cost to install a heat pump, broken down by post-BER rating and by SEAI scheme, in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44730/24]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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134. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the heat pump targets as outlined in the long-term renovation strategy (details supplied); the progress made in meeting these targets; the percentage of these targets reached in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44732/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.

Ireland’s Long-Term Renovation Strategy, submitted to the European Commission in 2020, sets a target to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes by end-2030. The Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan published in 2021, subsequently set targets to install 45,000 heat pumps existing dwellings by 2025, and 400,000 by 2030

Heat pumps are one of the most challenging technologies to implement at scale in the existing residential sector, though new builds are predominantly using them. Data from SEAI shows that in the period 2019 to end-September 2024, almost 171,000 property upgrades have been supported. Of these, over 13,000 have installed a heat pump, mostly under the SEAI part-funded, demand-led schemes. In addition, data from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage shows that an additional 4,863 heat pumps were installed under its Local Authority Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme in the period 2021-2023. The 18,000 heat pump installations represent 40% of the 2025 target and 4.5% of the 2030 target. It is important to note that the number of heat pump installations was impacted significantly by construction sector closures and restrictions on home visits associated with COVID-19.

SEAI advise that under the residential and community retrofit schemes almost all homes retrofitted that include a heat pump achieved a post works Building Energy rating of B2 or better.

There has been significant year-on-year growth in the number of heat pumps installed in recent years. Last year’s total of almost 6,000 heat pumps represents a 44% increase on 2022 and a 430% increase on the number installed in 2019. This growth has resulted from a range of measures set out in the National Retrofit Plan including:

• New and redesigned SEAI schemes with enhanced grant rates of up to €10,500 available for heat pumps when a B2 energy rating is achieved;
• Changes to SEAI scheme rules to make the process of accessing heat pump grants easier for homeowners;
• Measures to expand the supply chain;
• An €8 billion budget allocation to support retrofit and heat pump installations to 2030; and
• A focus on installing heat pumps within the Local Authority Retrofit Programme.

The specific data sought by the Deputy on the average cost to install a heat pump broken down by scheme for the period 2020 - 2024, is not routinely reported to the Department by SEAI. Therefore, I have asked SEAI to reply directly to the Deputy with the information in so far as it is available as soon as possible.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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135. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is aware that some firms registered on the SEAI website one-stop shop have gone into liquidation while in the middle of home energy upgrades on customers’ homes, with customers at the loss of this investment (details supplied), with no adequate measures or protections in place for customers who are left with unfinished upgrades to their homes, with huge increased costs to have the works completed by other firms; the comeback customers have, if any, in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44736/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The administration and management of applications for retrofit projects under Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) schemes are an operational matter for the SEAI. However, SEAI has confirmed that it is currently actively engaged with the homeowner in question. SEAI has also confirmed that the company in question is not a registered One Stop Shop and operated under the Deep Retrofit Scheme, which closed to new applications in 2019.

It is critically important that works supported by SEAI schemes are completed in line with the respective scheme terms and conditions including in line with the SEAI’s Contractor Code of Practice and Domestic Technical Standards and Specifications as well as best practice and technical guidance documents. Accordingly, a contractor or builder must meet the following criteria to be listed on SEAI's website:

• Contractors must complete a SEAI Contractor Registration form and provide all necessary documents confirming competency for measures being registered for. Details can be found here: www.seai.ie/sites/default/files/publications/Domestic-Technical-Standards-and-Specifications.pdf
• Contractors must complete a Declaration of Insurance form and provide a valid Tax Clearance Certificate
• Contractors must attend a mandatory Onboarding Training session held by SEAI. These sessions are held once a month and a Contractors activation on the SEAI website is dependent on attendance.
• In order to remain SEAI registered, Contractors must remain insured at all times, tax compliant and carry out works to the standards set out in SEAI’s Domestic Technical Standards and Specifications (DTSS) document as well as NSAI’s S.R. 54:2014 – Code of practice for the energy efficient retrofit of dwellings.