Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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192. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to consider increasing the grant for solar panels given their increasing popularity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40896/26]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government approved the high-level design for the Micro-Generation Support Scheme (MSS) on 21 December 2021 as a means of supporting 380MW of new micro-generation capacity by 2030 under the Climate Action Plan.Since 2018, the MSS has supported installation of solar PV for over 112,000 homes.

Domestic applicants can apply to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland for a grant towards the cost of installing solar PV panels. In 2022 and 2023, the?maximum grant amount of €2,400 was available. In 2024, the maximum grant was reduced to €2,100 and in 2025 to €1,800 and this has been maintained for 2026.

The Domestic Solar PV Grant Scheme has gone from strength to strength since its launch, with over 10,000 applicants supported in 2022, at a cost of over €24.4 million. ?2023 proved even more successful, with domestic solar installation further supported by the Government decision to apply a zero percent VAT rate for the ‘supply and installation of solar panels on domestic premises’ from 1 May 2023. The Domestic Solar PV Grant Scheme was?allocated?€29.4m in Budget 2023, which was projected to support 12,500 homes.??By the end of 2023, 22,214 homes had received grant support, to a total value €52.2m. In 2025, over 33,000 homes received grant support to the value of €65.3m.?Data for the first quarter of this year from SEAI shows?a very positive?upward trend, in both demand and output. As of April 2026, over 10,000 homes were supported and over 15,000 applications were received (a 72% increase year on year).

The National Energy Affordability Taskforce was formed to identify, assess and implement measures to enhance energy affordability for households. The Taskforce is now leading the response to the energy shock, and the immediate associated energy affordability challenge. This work includes examining how to support increased uptake of home energy efficiency upgrades and continued development of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's retrofit schemes in line with commitments in the Programme for Government.