Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) was established under the Sustainable Energy Act of 2002. The Authority is a body corporate with functions and responsibilities as set out under Section 6 of the Act, which include, among other things, promoting and assisting:

• environmentally and economically sustainable production, supply and use of energy,
• energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy,
• the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,
• minimising of the impact on the environment of the production, supply and use of energy, and
• research, development, and demonstration of relevant technologies.

The SEAI also has a role to provide advice, information and guidance to the Minister, Government Departments and Agencies, energy suppliers, and energy users.

SEAI is funded by the Government of Ireland, through my Department and the Department of Transport. In 2025 the Agency’s total budget allocation is over €600 million.

SEAI is key to informing, supporting, implementing, and delivering Government energy policy and the Climate Action Plan. The programmes administered by the SEAI have a major impact on the Irish economy through home and community energy upgrades, business supports, research and innovation funding, and Electric Vehicle (EV) grants. The SEAI has also been designated as the National Retrofit Delivery Body. In this role, the SEAI acts as the lead Agency in driving the delivery of Ireland’s residential retrofit targets.

The SEAI continue to enhance their staffing levels consistent with the scaling up of capacity to support the significant policy developments announced in recent years under the Climate Acton Plan and National Retrofit Plan. The funding provided to the SEAI brought staff levels close to 235 by the end of 2023, in line with their Workforce Plan 2021-2023.

SEAI – 2020-2024 WTEs	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
Total	93.1	125.5	170 (195 Sanctioned)	227 (235 Sanctioned)	235 (255 Sanctioned)	245 (265 Sanctioned)

A workforce plan was submitted by the SEAI to my Department in 2023. This is under consideration by my Department in the context of wider planning for the future growth of the organisation. I, as Minister, and my officials, continue to engage with SEAI on this matter.