John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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176. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the grant for solar panels has been reduced (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23333/26]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) is targeting 380MW of new renewable generation capacity to contribute to an overall revised target for solar PV of up to 5.5GW by 2030, under the Climate Action Plan and the recent Government agreement on the Sectoral Emissions Ceilings. The scheme design was supported by detailed economic and policy analysis, as well as a public consultation, prior to its approval in December 2021.

As part of the approved MSS Final Scheme Design, the maximum grant levels for Domestic applicants were set out for the period from 2022 to 2028. The grant levels were based on the level of available Exchequer funding to meet the expected demand, as well as a recognition that solar pv installation costs were expected to reduce over time. In 2022 and 2023, the maximum grant levels were set at €2,400. Thereafter, the maximum grant would be reduced by a maximum of €300 per annum, until 2028.

Since its launch in 2022, the Domestic Solar PV grant scheme has gone from strength to strength, with over 10,000 applicants supported in 2022, 22,214 supported in 2023, and in 2024 when the grant was reduced to €2,100, over 28,000 applicants were supported and in 2025 at reduced level of €1,800 over 33,000 applicants were supported. For 2026 I directed the planned reduction not proceed and so far in 2026 over 4,000 homes have been supported.

The MSS final scheme design which provides the background and context for the design of the grant schemes and assumptions regarding the uptake and costs for the MSS supports in line with CAP 21 was approved in December 2022 and is available at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/publications/micro-generation/.