Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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146. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the State is on track to meet the target of 500,000 retrofit upgrades by 2030; the number of upgrades that would need to be carried out in each of the years to 2030 to meet the target; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30065/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Climate Action Plan sets ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector from 7 MtCO2eq. in 2018 to 4 MtCO2eq. in 2030. One of the measures to achieve this is to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a BER B2/cost optimal or carbon equivalent, and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes (to replace older, less efficient heating systems) by 2030.

The Retrofit Plan estimates that, between 2019 and 2025, almost 185,000 home energy upgrades will be delivered with over 83,000 to a B2/cost optimal level. When the emissions savings from the non-B2 upgrades are included, this is the equivalent of 120,000 B2 upgrades over the period. As a result, there will be a need to deliver, on average, approximately 75,000 B2-equivalent home upgrades per year from 2026 to 2030 to achieve the overall target of 500,000 by 2030.

A range of measures have been introduced under the Retrofit Plan in recent years to support the ramp-up of activity towards these 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 Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (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 Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme introduced last year 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.

This year, a record budget of €550 million allocation to the SEAI will support over 64,500 home energy upgrades and build on the momentum seen in recent years. In addition, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has made €90 million available for the Local Authority Retrofit Scheme.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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147. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has plans for a dedicated support programme to enable climate action response through the local development sector and local community groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30150/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department supports local community groups through the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP). The CCAP will see €61.5 million from the Climate Action Fund being invested in community climate action projects and initiatives, as well as capacity building, over two phases. The overall aim of the CCAP is to support and empower communities to shape and build low carbon, sustainable communities in a coherent way.

Strand 1 and 1a of the CCAP provides €48M in funding to Local Authorities to partner with community groups to run projects that will contribute to national climate and energy targets. Not-for-profit local community groups are eligible to apply for this funding. Strand 1 is currently supporting approximately 650 climate action projects led by community groups across the country, while strand 1a is supporting approximately 40 projects on a cross-border or whole-island basis. Applications for the second phase are expected to open later this year.

Under strand 2 of the CCAP a total of €8.5 million is being provided to build community capacity in relation to climate action. With €5 million of strand 2 allocated for an open call for projects and initiatives that facilitate community climate action through education, capacity building and learning by doing, which is being run by Pobal on behalf of the Department (referred to as CCAP Strand 2). 19 projects are now nearing completion from this programme. Applications for the second phase of this programme is expected to open later this year.

A further €3.5M under strand 2 has been allocated to Creative Climate Action over 2 phases to fund creative and cultural projects that meaningfully connect people with the profound impacts of climate change on our environment, society and economy, and to transform that connection into behaviour change or climate action. This programme is co-funded with the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.