Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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58. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the retrofit scheme; the number of homes that have benefitted from the scheme to date; and the work he is undertaking to meet the target of retrofitting 500,000 homes by 2030. [17754/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland has one of the most ambitious home retrofit targets in the world. The National Retrofit Plan sets out how these targets will be met, including an €8 billion financial allocation out to 2030.

A range of measures have been introduced under the Retrofit Plan in recent years to support the achievement of our targets, including:

• Enhanced SEAI grant schemes with simplified application processes and faster approvals, including a greater focus on heat pumps;
• A reformed Warmer Homes Scheme for homeowners in energy poverty with expanded eligibility, increased depth of retrofit, prioritisation of the worst performing homes and a higher number supported;
• Establishment of a network of 24 SEAI registered One Stop Shops with further growth in the network expected this year;
• Enhanced supports for retrofitting apartment buildings and flat complexes;
• New supports for area-based retrofit projects and traditional buildings;
• The new Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme enabling homeowners to avail of retrofit loans with interest rates as low as 3%;
• A reduction in the VAT rate for heat pumps to 9% and a 0% rate for solar panels;
• A tax incentive to encourage small-scale landlords to undertake retrofitting works while tenants remain in situ; and
• Measures to increase the number of workers with retrofit skills.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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59. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if an audit of State-owned buildings has been carried out to ascertain the level of insulation, solar panels, heat pumps and other energy-saving measure have been taken in the past ten years, and planned for in the next five years. [18060/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Climate Action Plan 2023 includes a requirement for public bodies to develop a building stock plan to critically review its building portfolio in the context of the sector's targets and its long-term accommodation needs. This will inform a strategic approach to managing relevant buildings over the next decade, and beyond.

In addition, public bodies are required to complete the building register on the SEAI’s Monitoring and Reporting System in which details regarding buildings owned, leased and shared by public bodies, the square footage of those buildings, and other data relevant to the targets in the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ package, will be captured. My Department is developing a 'National Building Renovation Plan' which will be completed in 2026.