Written Answers Nos. 161-177
162. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total revenue generated by the environmental management cost (tyre recycling levy) since its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56069/23]
View answerThe visible Environmental Management Cost (vEMC) is collected by Circol ELT, which is approved under the Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2017 to act as the producer responsibility organisation for the tyre industry. At present, a vEMC is collected with respect to the tyres of passenger cars, 4x4 vans, and motorcycles. Details on amounts collected and further information about the scheme's operation is available in its annual reports published on Circol ELT's website at circolelt.ie/annual-reports/.
163. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the 2024 budget allocation for residential and community retrofits per programme, including a breakdown of capital and current allocations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56099/23]
View answerMy Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.
Budget 2024 includes record capital funding of €380 million across all SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes, including the Solar PV (photovoltaic) Scheme meaning that more funding than ever will be available to make homes warmer, healthier, more comfortable and less expensive to heat. This will be supplemented by additional funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to support next year’s programme of energy upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty.
The final details of the capital and current funding allocations to each SEAI scheme and the 2024 retrofit targets are currently being finalised as part of preparations for the 2024 Revised Estimates Volume (REV 2024), determining the ERDF allocation for 2024 and the 2024 SEAI business planning process.
164. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the main policy achievements of his Department since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56107/23]
View answerIn accordance with the Public Service Management Act 1997, my Department's policy achievements are reported in its Annual Report. My Departments Annual Reports over the period 2020 - 2022 are available at the following links:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/86651-annual-report-2020/
www.gov.ie/en/publication/92514-annual-report-2021/
www.gov.ie/en/publication/d3c02-annual-report-2022/
Progress on key policy achievements of my Department for 2023 will be set out in the 2023 Annual Report which will be published in 2024. In the interim, information and publications relating to the Department’s policy achievements in 2023 may be found at: www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-the-environment-climate-and-communications/
165. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of smart heating control grants awarded in 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; the geographic spread per county; the average amount per grant; how much funding has been drawn down for smart heater control grants in the same period, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56128/23]
View answerThe installation of heating controls is one of the energy efficiency measures supported under the SEAI administered grant schemes. Heating controls are an excellent way to control a household's energy usage and improve comfort. A fixed grant of €700 is available towards the cost of installing heating controls.
The majority of grants for heating controls are paid out under the Better Energy Homes (BEH) scheme which provides individual grants for a range of measures, allowing homeowners to take a step-by-step approach to their retrofit. Figures from SEAI show, that under the BEH scheme:
• to date in 2023 (end November) 1,037 grants for heating controls
• in 2022, 1,602 grants for heating controls
• In 2021, 2,789 grants for heating controls
• In 2020, 7,173 grants for heating controls
Grant support for heating controls is also available under all of the part-funded residential retrofit schemes, including the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme and the Community Energy Grant Scheme. Heating controls can also be installed as part of a wider retrofit under the fully funded Warmer Homes scheme. Data on the number of heating control installations under these Schemes is not routinely collated by SEAI and so are not included in the above figures.
Officials from my Department have asked SEAI to reply directly to the Deputy with the additional information sought for the period 2020-2023 regarding the number of heating controls installed under the other SEAI Residential and Community Energy Efficiency Schemes; the funding drawn down for heating control installations across all Schemes; and geographic spread of heating controls installations, in so far as it is available, as soon as possible.
166. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on the support scheme for renewable heat; how much funding has been allocated in 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date 2023; how much funding has been drawn down 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; how many grants were awarded in the same period, in tabular form; the average amount per award; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56129/23]
View answerThe Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) provides financial support in the adoption of renewable heating systems by commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating and other non-domestic heat users.
The Scheme consists of two types of support mechanism: -
• An on-going operational support
• A grant to support investment in renewable heating systems using heat pumps.
Funding allocated and drawn down:
|
- |
Initial budget (€M) |
Mid-year revised budget (€M) |
Spend (€M) |
|
2020 |
0.9 (900k) |
- |
0.1 |
|
2021 |
3.3 |
- |
0.22 |
|
2022 |
2.5 |
1.5 |
0.72 |
|
2023 |
3.5 |
1.5 |
0.88* |
* to 7thDecember 2023
Grants and Tariffs awarded and average award (2020-2023):
|
|
SSRH Tariff Support (15 year support) |
SSRH Grant Support |
|
Total Offers |
109 |
5 |
|
Live Offers (excluding those withdrawn by applicant) |
97 |
5 |
|
Total Value of Live Offers |
€39,154,951 |
€639,182 |
|
Average Value |
€403,659 |
€127,836 |
167. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on the excellence in energy efficient design scheme; how much funding has been allocated in 2020, 2021 2022 and to date in 2023; how much funding has been drawn down 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; how many grants were awarded in the same period, in tabular form; the average amount per award; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56130/23]
View answerThe EXEED grant scheme is designed for organisations planning an energy investment project, with grant support of up to €3m per project available. EXEED aims to support businesses and other organisations in adopting best practice approaches to energy efficiency at the design, construction and commissioning stage of projects. The first cycle of the grant scheme ran from 2016 to 2019. Following a detailed review during 2020 (the scheme was not open to applications in 2020), the scheme was re-launched in January 2021 for a further three years.
As part of the 2021 relaunch, it was agreed to carry out a mid-scheme review which resulted in a number of recommendations being made to address issues identified. The recommendations that were approved and launched in March 2023 included:
Suspending the use of the present value of carbon (using 2019 shadow price figures) when evaluating the value for money (vfm) of the grant and adopting a simplified vfm approach which capped grants based on a €/tCO2 saved by the project
Increasing maximum grant from €1M to €3M to ensure higher impact projects are delivered via the EXEED scheme
Applying a 2025/26 projected electricity emissions factor of 200 g/kWh for both electrical energy efficiency, and electrification projects in the evaluation process to increase the valuation of electrification projects
|
EXEED Spend |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (YTD) |
Total |
|
Capital spend (€m) |
3.39 |
1.24 |
1.17 |
5.8 |
|
Budget allocated (€m): |
13.4 (re-profiled to €4.7m) |
9.0 (re-profiled to €3m) |
7.0 (re-profiled to €3m) |
29.4 (10.7) |
|
No. of grants awarded |
Stage 1 Letters of offer |
|
|
172 |
|
No. of grants awarded |
Stage 2 Letters of offer |
|
|
41 |
|
Average amount per award |
Stage 1 |
|
|
€13,000 |
|
Average amount per award: |
Stage 2 |
|
|
€159,000 |
Following the changes made in March 2023, SEAI have reported an increase in the scale and impact of projects being approved under the scheme. SEAI issued its largest ever grant offer under the EXEED scheme in November 2023 for €686,000 surpassing the previous largest offer issued in September 2023 for €559,000. There is also another stage 2 grant application request for over €1.5M working through the evaluation process at present (December).
168. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he report on the number of sustainable energy communities that were funded in 2020, 2021, 2022 and in 2023, in tabular form; the level of funding awarded to each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56139/23]
View answerThe Sustainable Energy Communities (SEC) Programme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Programme supports the low carbon energy transition by developing skills and capacity, at a community level, in determining how to use less energy, adopting lower carbon options for transport and heating, shifting energy use to off-peak times or investing in smart technologies.
SEAI provides 100% funding to communities to undertake energy master plans. These plans allow a community to assess and understand its current and future energy needs (in electricity, heat and transport) in order for the community to make informed decisions and prioritise actions. It helps communities to identify opportunities so they can become more energy efficient, use renewable energy where possible, and use smart energy technology if appropriate. Energy Master Plan grants are issued for 12 months with up to 4 milestone payments possible across the 12 months. Extensions are available on request. Since 2020, a total of 141 Energy Master Plan Grants have been approved. The number of SEC's for each year from 2020 to 2023 and total expenditure for each of these years is as set out in the following table.
|
Year |
No. of SECs (year-end) |
Total expenditure each year |
|
2020 |
490 |
€1.21m |
|
2021 |
618 |
€1.34m |
|
2022 |
710 |
€2.22m |
|
2023 (YTD) |
822 |
€1.89m |
169. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on the funding allocated to renewable energy communities in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and in Budget 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56140/23]
View answer170. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on the funding drawn down to renewable energy communities in 2020, 2021, 2022 and in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56141/23]
View answer171. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he report on the number of renewable energy communities that were funded in 2020, 2021, 2022 and in 2023, in tabular form; the level of funding awarded to each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56142/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 169 to 171, inclusive, together.
The Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS) Community Enabling Framework was launched in 2022. It provides a range of supports, including grant funding of potentially up to €180,000, offered from SEAI to community renewable energy projects, to help them participate in the RESS. To date, two community projects (both under RESS 1 in 2022) have received €40,000 each in grant funding.
The funding allocated for community energy is for a range of supports, aside from grants. It enables SEAI to deploy a number of capacity-building supports including an information warehouse, trusted intermediary and advisor services, and financial grant supports, all of which are vital to support community owned renewable energy projects to be built.
The information requested on 2020, which pre dates the RESS Community Enabling Framework, is being compiled by the SEAI. I have asked SEAI to forward a reply directly to the Deputy.
SEAI was allocated €3 million in 2021 for the various supports envisaged under the Enabling Framework with an additional €2 million in 2022 and €1.2 million in 2023. The 2024 allocation is still to be finalised.
In advance of issuing potential grant funding, SEAI offers a free feasibility assessment on projects to assess key project risks, that may impact on project viability. However, to date most projects have not passed this initial feasibility stage.
My Department is working closely with the SEAI and community groups to assess the barriers to community energy projects, including grid connections, in order to ensure a long term sustainable future for the community energy sector in Ireland.
There is evidence of significant challenges that REC projects may face with the competitive, auction based nature of RESS, along with grid and other barriers to project delivery. Therefore, Community projects will now transition to the non-competitive Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS). The export tariff phase of SRESS, to support small scale and community renewable projects, is due to be launched in the coming months and will be a major step forward in supporting the community energy sector.
172. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline any engagement he has had with ComReg since 2020 about improving the 4G signal in Mayo; and the progress to date. [56147/23]
View answerThe roll-out of infrastructure for mobile telecommunications services in Ireland is primarily a matter for private mobile network operators, operating on a commercial basis in a liberalised market, regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). ComReg is statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions in accordance with section 11 of the Communications Regulation Act 2002.
To assist consumers to choose the network provider that best meets their needs, ComReg continually updates and enhances its online national outdoor mobile coverage map (available at: Service Coverage - Commission for Communications Regulation (comreg.ie), which provides clear information on where operators have good 2G, 3G and 4G coverage. In 2022, ComReg updated this map to include 5G data.
ComReg completed a Multi-band Spectrum Award in January 2023 to assign long term rights of use in four spectrum bands to enable the market to provide improved services to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile data and new services. This award will represent a 46% increase in the harmonised spectrum assigned for the provision of wireless broadband services in Ireland and will include significant coverage obligations for operators.
The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce has been in operation since 2016 and has been a driving force for improving access to telecommunications services nationwide. The Mobile Phone & Broadband Taskforce continues to implement actions specifically designed to remove barriers to telecoms infrastructure rollout.
173. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of connections under the national broadband plan in County Mayo; how that compares with revised targets; the sanctions against the contracted company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56148/23]
View answerIn December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:
• all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028;
• all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and
• digital connectivity will be delivered to all schools and broadband connection points by 2023.
These targets will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and through the State investment in National Broadband Ireland (NBI).
The Digital Connectivity Strategy will lead to more balanced regional development, supporting the green transition, facilitating greater access to regional talent and skills and will assist with the implementation of the Government’s Remote Working Strategy, Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, and Project Ireland 2040.
Commercial operators’ fibre rollouts are progressing at pace. Open eir have already passed over 34,200 homes and businesses in Mayo with gigabit services, with plans to pass a further c.14,000 homes and businesses over the next 2 – 3 years, bringing their total fibre-based investment in the county to over €26m. Other commercial operators are also continuing to increase their network footprint right across Mayo, with SIRO recently passing over 5,000 premises for full fibre, and Virgin Media passing over 7,600 premises.
Along with the progress made by commercial operators’ in expanding their next generation networks throughout the State, the National Broadband Plan intervention contract provides for the roll out of a high speed and future-proofed broadband network to primarily rural areas. The intervention area covers over 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.
I am advised by NBI that, over 212,000 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. Over 62,300 premises are already connected to the NBP high-speed broadband network. In the Deputy’s own county of Mayo, over 7,300 premises are passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network and available for immediate connection with 2,176 premises now connected.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Mayo can be monitored via nbi.ie/reps. A county update can be selected to provide the overall number of premises in the Intervention Area, the overall NBP investment in the county, the number of premises passed and connected to date and the status of each of the Deployment Areas with the anticipated date for connection over the lifetime of the project. NBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
To date, the level of connections is exceeding initial projections. NBI are connecting circa 3,500 homes each month and expect to have connected over 65,000 by year end. NBI expect to have passed in excess of 300,000 premises by the end of 2024 with circa 120,000 premises passed each year thereafter until the end of deployment at which point over 560,000 will be passed.
On average, almost 30% of premises passed have been connected to date, which exceeds expectations in terms of the connection rate of premises availing of the network so soon after it is available. Some areas have over 40% take up to date. The overall target rate of connections over the coming 5 years is 80% and NBI remain confident they will achieve this.
Starting from February 1, 2022, the sanctions regime for network construction came into effect. It enforces performance requirements for NBI's network building. Delays in milestone completion result in financial sanctions. These sanctions, calculated and imposed in accordance with the contract, will persist throughout the program.
After network construction, the contract includes sanctions for NBI's operational performance based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These KPIs cover factors such as time to connect premises, upload and download speeds, and fault repair. Non-compliance with contract requirements will result in performance points and credits being deducted from subsidy payments.
Recent ComReg data shows that Quarter 2 of 2023 saw a 7.4% increase in fibre broadband subscriptions compared to the first 3 months of the year, and a 33.7% increase when compared to Quarter 2 of 2022. This demonstrates that take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing substantially as it is deployed to areas where it had previously been unavailable. The same ComReg data also indicates that c. 40% of homes and business throughout the State now have access to gigabit services through either fibre (576,856) or cable (359,669) infrastructure.
174. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide an update on the North Connacht Interconnector. [56149/23]
View answerResponsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not the Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation.
The CRU is responsible for oversight of the costs associated with the operation and development of the national grid by the System Operators. Issues regarding the development of the national electricity grid rest with EirGrid and ESB Network. EirGrid, as Transmission System Operator, have responsibility for the development of the Transmission Network and ESB Networks, as Distribution System Operator, have responsibility for the development of the Distribution Network. The Transmission and Distribution Networks make up the national electricity grid. EirGrid and ESB Networks are independent of myself as Minister in the exercise of their respective functions.
In July 2023, EirGrid published an updated ‘Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap version 1.1’, which is a plan-led approach to deliver an electricity system in 2030 which meets Ireland’s climate targets to include the incorporation of greater renewable generation into the electricity system.
The North Connacht 110kV project is a Transmission project and is being undertaken by EirGrid. The Government does not have any role in the delivery of electricity infrastructure on the ground. This is consistent with the 2012 Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure which states: ‘The Government does not seek to direct EirGrid and ESB Networks or other energy infrastructure developers to particular sites or routes or technologies’.
Eirgrid are independent of the Minister in the exercise of their functions as Transmission System Operators. The CRU and Eirgrid have respective contact email address for Deputies, of which they are aware, should they wish to raise matters of concern such as that raised in the question. In this instance EirGrid are the appropriate organisation to provide information regarding current status of the project.
175. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of climate action co-ordinators, community climate officers and climate action officers hired by each local authority to date, in tabular form [56160/23]
View answer176. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide a breakdown of the indicative costs associated with hiring a climate action co-ordinator, a community climate officer and a climate action officer, in tabular form. [56161/23]
View answer177. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on plans to strengthen climate action teams in local authorities; the gaps and challenges that exist to reaching their potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56162/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 175 to 177, inclusive, together.
Local government has a key role to play in implementing measures to meet Ireland’s national and EU climate targets. Local Authorities are well-placed to respond to climate change and build momentum as the most direct connection that citizens and local communities have with Government.
Section 16 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 requires, inter alia, each Local Authority to prepare a Local Authority Climate Action Plan (LA CAP) specifying the mitigation and the adaptation measures to be adopted. In March 2023, I published statutory guidelines to assist Local Authorities in preparing their LA CAPs.
My Department has recognised and responded to the need for additional capacity within Local Authorities to support the delivery of LA CAPs. My Department authorised funding in 2022 to support the Local Authority Climate Action Plan process, including for the recruitment of specialist staff in each Local Authority to form the nucleus of climate action teams – a Climate Action Coordinator and Climate Action Officer
In 2022, a total of €3.2 million was paid to the sector to begin the implementation of Phase 1 of the LA CAPs. By November 2023, 30 Local Authorities had hired a Climate Action Coordinator and 26 had hired a Climate Action Officer.
In addition, 12% of the €24 million allocated for each phase of strand 1 of the Community Climate Action Programme has been assigned for administrative purposes towards the cost of hiring one Community Climate Action Officer in each Local Authority. 30 Local Authorities have hired a Community Climate Action Officer to date. The attached table provides a breakdown across the Local Authorities of the current status of their recruitment.
A total of €5.5 million is being allocated to the sector in 2023 for phase 2 of the programme to develop the Local Authority Climate Action Plans and my Department is now in the process of reviewing and processing eligible claims.
Additionally, a new Service Level Agreement (SLA) with €12 million in funding has recently been agreed and signed for a period of 6 years (2023 – 2029) for the Climate Action Regional Offices to continue their work in supporting local government to coordinate and deliver climate action and to develop their local authority climate action plans.
My Department will also continue to support upskilling and capacity building in climate action in the local government sector by agreeing a new SLA to continue rolling out the Local Authority Climate Action Training Programme in 2024. This programme is increasing knowledge of climate change among Local Authorities and will assist staff with the implementation of their local authority climate action plans.
Additional text to be added.
