Written answers
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
Energy Conservation
Paula Butterly (Louth, Fine Gael)
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121. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of home energy upgrades completed to date this year; how this compared to the same periods of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30239/25]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, through grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings, as well as solar PV and heat pump installation.
The number of home energy upgrades across the SEAI Residential and Community Retrofit Schemes for January to April 2025, compared with data for the same period between 2020 and 2024, show continued growth, with home upgrade numbers rising from 5,642 in period January to April 2020 to 17,000 for the same period in 2025.
The home upgrades for the January to April period across each of the 5 years is as follows -
- 5,642 in 2020 (Jan to April);
- 2,671 in 2021 (Jan to April);
- 5,055 in 2022 (Jan to April);
- 13,309 in 2023 (Jan to April);
- 15,913 in 2024 (Jan to April); and
- 17,000 in 2025 (Jan to April).
A range of measures have been introduced under the Retrofit Plan across recent years to support continued growth, including simplifying application processes, expanding eligibility, prioritising worst performing homes, expanding deep retrofits, and growing the numbers of one stop shops, as well as progressing projects piloting new supports.
Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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122. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of warmer homes scheme projects undertaken to date in 2025; the way in which this compares with the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30263/25]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people at risk of 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 the carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund.
In Quarter 1 of 2025, 1,350 homes were upgraded under the scheme. This represents:
- a 14% increase on Quarter 1 2024;
- a 30% increase on Quarter 1 2023; and
- an 80% increase on Quarter 1 2022.
These budgets have allowed the scheme to deliver a greater number of deeper and more complex upgrades in recent years. This is reflected in the average cost of upgrades which the SEAI indicates has increased from €2,600 in 2015 to just under €29,000 in Q1 of 2025. These deeper upgrades mean that more lower income homeowners are benefitting significantly from warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes.
My officials continue to work with the SEAI to maximise and accelerate the output of free energy upgrades provided under this important scheme.
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