Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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771. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide updated figures on the installation of heat pumps in new homes, from 2021 to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24338/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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In Ireland, approximately 40% of total energy produced is used in the building sector. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive sets ambitious goals for energy efficiency and renewables in buildings by requiring Nearly Zero Energy Building or “NZEB” performance for new buildings from 31 December 2020.

A nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) means a building that has a very high energy performance. The nearly zero or very low amount of energy required should be covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby.

The NZEB requirements make it more attractive for builders and homeowners to further incorporate renewable technologies and move away from traditional fossil fuels. The Central Statistics Office analysis of Building Energy Rating data demonstrates this shift away from fossil fuels. All new dwellings are now A2 rated and electrical heating systems which are mainly renewable heat pumps are installed in nearly all new dwellings. Fossil fuel boilers have effectively been banned in new dwellings.

In 2021 the BER database showed that 85% of new dwellings had installed heat pumps. This figure has increased every quarter since and CSO analysis shows that the figures were 97% in 2023 and 98% in 2024.

The CSO database providing the breakdown of dwellings using electrical heating mainly from heat pumps is available here www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-dber/domesticbuildingenergyratingsquarter12025/.