Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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120. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the breakdown of all Exchequer funding provided to the Tallaght district heating scheme; and the proportion this was of the total cost of the project in each of the years since its inception to date, in tabular form. [45171/25]

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 both diversification of fuel supply for the heat sector and to its decarbonisation. 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 an allocation of €4.48 million funding from the CAF, of which approximately €4 million has been paid out to date.

South Dublin District Heating Company was set up in 2020 as Ireland’s first not-for-profit energy utility. It is fully owned and operated by South Dublin County Council. The associated district heating project uses waste heat generated by the nearby Amazon data centre (the heat is provided at no cost by Amazon as part of their zero-carbon commitment) to supply heat to public and private institutions, and homes in Tallaght town-centre.

Phase 01A of the network, which included a bespoke energy centre building, cost approximately €8.9 million, and connected to South Dublin County Council headquarters, the County Library and the Technological University Dublin’s Tallaght campus. Phase 01B extended the network to connect additional customers at a new 3,000 square metre incubator office space, and 133 cost rental apartments along with two new campus buildings for the Technological University. This phase was completed in 2025 and cost approximately €1 million.

The breakdown of all Exchequer funding provided to date to the Tallaght District Heating scheme is shown in the table below:

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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121. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the breakdown of all Exchequer funding provided to the Poolbeg Waste to Energy Project; and the proportion this was of the total cost of the project in each of the years since its inception to date, in tabular form. [45172/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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122. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the breakdown of all Exchequer funding provided to the district heating at the glass bottle site; and the proportion this was of the total cost of the project in each of the years since its inception to date, in tabular form. [45173/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 122 together.

Government policy is supportive of the expansion of district heating to contribute to the diversification of fuel supply to decarbonise the heat sector. The Government's Climate Action Plan recognises the important contribution that district heating can make to achieving Ireland’s climate and energy goals. The District Heating Steering Group Report set out recommendations to develop the district heating sector in Ireland, including the need to develop underpinning legislation, and to support the development and expansion of district heating networks.

Dublin City Council (DCC) is working to develop a large project that will use waste heat from the Dublin Waste-to-Energy Facility in Poolbeg to heat public sector, commercial and residential buildings in the adjacent area, with plans to progressively expand into Dublin city. This has the potential to heat up to 80,000 homes, public sector buildings and commercial premises.

This project is strategically important for Ireland, and both national and international district heating experts have identified its tremendous potential. There has been significant progress on the preliminary design, in addition to some key infrastructure being built out or already complete. Installation of the trunk main pipework through the Central Boulevard in the Irish Glass Bottle site commenced in August 2024.

The Government has financially supported the development of district heating networks in Ireland through the Climate Action Fund, including allocating €50 million to the Dublin District Heating Project, the drawdown of which is subject to the approval of a business case in line with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines. To date, no funds have been drawn down by the project. My Department is working with DCC to ensure all necessary supports are in place for the acceleration of this landmark district heating project.