Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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22. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position as of July 2025 on the Programme for Government commitment to increase take-up of grants to support small businesses in adopting energy 1 efficient technologies, cutting costs, and reducing their environmental footprint; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39961/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department supports businesses in becoming more energy-efficient, ultimately strengthening their position in the market, through schemes administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) which provide various supports that can assist in increasing energy efficiency and lowering carbon emissions.

The Business Energy Upgrade Scheme (BEUS) was opened in November 2024, with a publicity campaign launched in April 2025. This scheme can provide substantial support to the SME sector to address energy costs and reduce emissions in their buildings. The scheme is open to all businesses, and public bodies, who are upgrading a building they own or occupy. It offers access to rapid approval of grant funding for a range of retrofit measures for commercial buildings such as hotels, offices, retail premises and restaurants.

The Excellence in Energy Efficient Design (EXEED) scheme provides capital grants to support organisations (businesses and public sector bodies) for projects which are following the EXEED Certified Standard for Excellence in Energy Efficient Design.

The Support Scheme for Energy Audits provides support up to a maximum of €2,000 per business site (up to a maximum of 3 sites) to cover the costs of a typical energy audit. The scheme provides support for SMEs to carry out energy audits, thereby encouraging them to implement the energy saving measures identified. It is open to all public and private sector organisations that have an annual energy expenditure of €10,000 or more and are not already required to carry out an energy audit under the Energy Efficiency Directive.

The Community Energy Grant Scheme provides grant support for cross-sectoral projects, including for homes, businesses and other non-domestic applicants. Typically around 60% of total scheme funding is for non-domestic projects.

The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat is a grant support for investment in renewable heating systems using heat pumps. An operational support tariff over 15 years for new installations or installations that currently use a fossil fuel heating system and convert to using biomass or anaerobic digestion heating systems.

The Non-Domestic Microgen Scheme provides financial assistance to help businesses and other sectors to install solar PV panels to generate electricity on site. Grants are available for systems up to a maximum of €2,400 for installations of up to 6kWp.

The above support schemes are kept under regular review to ensure their effectiveness.

There are a broader range of enterprise supports available that assist businesses with energy and climate initiatives, with funding from a variety of sources (not just the SEAI). Further information on the broader supports can be found on the “Climate Toolkit for Business” website: www.climatetoolkit4business.gov.ie/next-steps-and-further-information/