William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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263. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if any new or expanded funding supports are planned to assist Laois County Council to develop district heating schemes as part of Ireland’s climate and energy goals; if he will provide details of any such commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30637/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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District heating can play a key role in improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Government policy is supportive of the expansion of district heating to contribute to diversification of fuel supply for heat and to decarbonise the heat sector. The establishment of the District Heating Steering Group was a critical step on our journey towards developing district heating in Ireland. The District Heating Steering Group Report, which was approved by Government in July 2023, contains a range of recommendations setting the future policy direction for development of the sector.

One such recommendation is to review supports for renewable heat production, such as the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH), and redesign such supports, where appropriate, to facilitate suppliers connecting to a district heating scheme. The SSRH is a funding mechanism for renewable heating that currently includes funding for smaller district and communal heating systems. The funding is targeted at switching from fossil fuel to renewable heat technologies. My Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) are continuing to progress enhancements to the scheme to ensure it is suitably adapted to also support large scale, efficient district heating projects.

To date, the Government has financially supported the development of district heating networks in Ireland through the Climate Action Fund (CAF). There is a large-scale scheme operational in Tallaght, which was developed by South Dublin County Council and supported through the CAF. In addition, Dublin City Council have been allocated funding support through the CAF, pending the approval of a business case, to develop a large project that will use waste heat from the Dublin Waste to Energy Facility in Poolbeg to heat buildings in the adjacent area.

Since 2024, Local Authorities can now avail of Pathfinder funding for feasibility studies for district heating projects. In 2024 five projects were assisted in this way, and the plan is to assist further projects in 2025.

My Department in partnership with the SEAI's District Heating Centre of Excellence are preparing a business case seeking to establish future State funding for the period 2026 to 2030 to support efficient district heating projects in suitable locations, usually urban areas with high heat density. Developing this initial core infrastructure by 2030 will reduce heat emissions from connected buildings this decade. It would also enable many more citizens, businesses and public bodies to decarbonise their homes and buildings throughout the 2030s and beyond.

Laois County Council, in its Climate Action Plan 2024 – 2029, has committed to “investigate the feasibility of Shared or District Heating in Portlaoise”. The Department are aware of a pipeline of potential district heating projects including a potential project in Laois which is at the early stages of the project life cycle. The Department and the District Heating Centre of Excellence in the SEAI are working with project sponsors to progress these projects.

The District Heating Centre of Excellence, working with other State Bodies, will also examine additional financing options to support the growth of Ireland’s district heating sector, such as funding from the European Union.

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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264. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the funds that have been provided to local authorities and approved housing bodies for initiatives aimed at reducing fuel poverty over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30638/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Government is acutely aware of the impact that the recent increases in global energy prices is having on households. Government has introduced a suite of measures over recent years to help households deal with the rising cost of electricity, including four Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Schemes. Over 2.2 million households have received €1,450 in bill support at a cost of €3.3 billion.

Upgrading the energy performance of Local Authority and Approved Housing Body homes are included in the actions Government set out in the Energy Poverty Action Plan. The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme for Social Housing is funded by the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) manage a number of energy efficiency upgrade schemes on behalf of my Department.

The National Home Energy Upgrade and Community Energy Grants schemes are available to the Approved Housing Bodies to provide enhanced grant supports for energy efficiency upgrade works. Local Authority dwellings may also be supported through the SEAI scheme in certain circumstances. Details on the amount spent per year over the last 5 years on these homes is not routinely supplied by SEAI to my Department. I have asked SEAI to collate the information sought in so far as it is available and forward directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.