Written answers
Thursday, 27 March 2025
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Energy Conservation
Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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158. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of heat pumps installed in County Louth under the warmer homes schemes and warmth and wellbeing schemes from 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14964/25]
Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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159. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of oil boilers and gas boilers replaced in County Louth under the warmer homes schemes and warmth and wellbeing schemes from 2020 to 2024, in tabular form. [14965/25]
Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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160. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding allocated to install heat pumps in County Louth under the warmer homes schemes and warmth and wellbeing schemes from 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14966/25]
Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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161. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding allocated to replace oil and gas boilers in County Louth under the warmer homes schemes and warmth and wellbeing schemes from 2020 to 2024.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14967/25]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 158, 159, 160 and 161 together.
The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people in energy poverty by providing fully-funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. The upgrades that will be recommended for a property will depend on many factors, including age, size, type and condition of the property. For each eligible home, the SEAI’s technical surveyor will determine which upgrades can be installed and funded.
Until 31 December 2024, a new gas or oil heating system could be recommended for installation and funded under the scheme. These heating systems were installed in order to comply with building regulation requirements where a major renovation is taking place under the scheme, and to ensure that homeowners were not left without heating in their homes. A major renovation is triggered when more than 25% of the area of the walls is being externally and/or internally insulated. In these instances, the existing heating system must be appraised for replacement. Replacement will be recommended where:
- There is no heating system in place, and the home is undergoing a major renovation.
- Where the existing heating system is obsolete and the home is undergoing a major renovation.
Under the revised EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), Member States cannot provide financial incentives for the installation of stand-alone boilers powered by fossil fuels from 1 January 2025. Therefore, since then, the SEAI cannot recommend new standalone oil or gas boilers as an upgrade measure when surveying homes under this scheme. Instead, where a heating system upgrade is required as part of a major renovation, the SEAI will assess the suitability of the home for a heat pump, or other renewable heating technologies, which are compliant with the EPBD. Therefore, where a homeowner does not wish to have their heating system replaced with an EPBD-compliant system as part of a major renovation, the SEAI cannot carry out the other insulation works. Homes which were surveyed and recommended for boiler upgrades prior to 1 January this year are not affected by this change and planned works already communicated to homeowners, including boiler upgrades, will continue. Homes that had applied prior to 1 January, but which were not surveyed prior to 1 January, are affected by this change and the approach outlined above will apply.
The specific data sought by the Deputy in relation to the amount of funding and number of households in County Louth that received a heating system upgrade, is not routinely provided to my Department by the SEAI. I have directed the SEAI to reply directly to the Deputy with the data requested, in so far as it is available, as soon as possible.
Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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162. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the financial supports available to older persons in County Louth to replace oil and gas boilers following the signing of the EU regulations 2024 ( S.I. No. 749/2024); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14968/25]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 749/2024) transpose Article 17(15) of Directive 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast) into Irish law. The Regulations provide that from 1 January 2025 public bodies shall not provide any financial incentives for the installation of stand-alone boilers powered by fossil fuels.
However, funding by public bodies remains permissible in respect of costs relating to the repair of an existing fossil fuel boiler by a qualified contractor (oil or gas) or the purchase and installation of a second-hand fossil fuel boiler by a qualified contractor (oil or gas). Grants may also continue to be paid in respect to the repair or replacement of all other parts of a central heating system such as new radiators, oil tanks or pipework, regardless of connection to an existing fossil fuel boiler (oil or gas). Grants are also still permissible in respect of non-fossil fuel heating such electric or biomass heating solutions.
Furthermore, for the homes of people in energy poverty, the Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve their energy efficiency and warmth by providing fully-funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. In line with S.I. No. 749/2024, the SEAI cannot recommend the installation of new stand-alone oil or gas boilers as an upgrade measure when surveying homes under this scheme. Instead, where a heating system upgrade is required as part of a major renovation under this scheme, the SEAI will assess the suitability of the home for a heat pump, or other renewable heating technologies, which are compliant with the EPBD. Therefore, non-fossil fuel heating systems will continue to be installed under the Warmer Homes Scheme.
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