Written answers

Thursday, 6 March 2025

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Departmental Schemes

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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194. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide a breakdown of the number and value of grants that have been awarded to the retrofitting of multi-unit dwellings as part of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland community energy grant scheme in each of the years 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10418/25]

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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195. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide a breakdown of the number of applications his Department has received for the retrofit of multi-unit dwellings as part of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland community grant scheme in each of the years 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10419/25]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together.

The Community Energy Grant Scheme supports cross-sectoral, partnership approaches that deliver energy savings to a range of building types, including public, commercial and community buildings with a particular focus on using the projects to deliver home retrofits, encompassing energy-poor, private, rental, and approved housing body homes. Last year, 683 home energy upgrades were supported under the scheme, with 63 of these being energy-poor homes and 220 approved housing body homes.

A number of changes to Community Energy Grant Scheme Guidelines were introduced last year, aimed at enhancing the scheme including:

  • A new domestic only strand to increase the delivery of home retrofits through scheme
  • Introduction of enhanced supports for the retrofit of Multi-Unit Developments aimed at addressing some of the key barriers to upgrading flat and apartment buildings
  • The roll out of a pilot strand for area-based retrofit projects where Community Energy Grant Project Coordinators, Local Authorities and local Energy Agencies will collaborate together to encourage homeowners, regardless of requirements or means, to get a retrofit, with the objective of leaving no home behind
  • Introduction of 18-month contracts for some larger, more complex non-domestic projects
The SEAI advise that 100 apartments were upgraded in 2023 and a further 39 in 2024. So far in 2025, the Community Energy Grant Scheme has supported the retrofit of 12 apartments. The SEAI has advised it does not hold details of the data sought by the Deputy for the years prior to 2023.

This year, a record capital budget of almost €550 million has been allocated for the SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes, including the Solar PV Scheme, to support over 64,500 home energy upgrades. Of this total allocation, €75 million has been provided for the Community Energy Grant Scheme.

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