Dick Spring
Question:357 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if any consideration is being given to providing grant assistance to local authority tenants who wish to install insulation in their homes. [25011/01]
Written Answers. - Local Authority Funding.
Many effective measures to improve energy efficiency in houses can be achieved at negative or zero equivalent annual cost to the householder. The national climate change strategy, adopted by the Government, provides for intensification of educational and awareness programmes being undertaken by the Irish Energy Centre to promote these options and to fill the existing information gap for consumers. This is being undertaken on an ongoing basis through my Department's environmental awareness campaigns and the work of the Irish Energy Centre. The centre currently provides financial support to the fuel poverty charity, Energy Action in Dublin, to implement energy efficiency measures in both private and local authority dwellings. In addition a new research and development programme called the House of Tomorrow was launched by the centre in September last which has a specific target of superior energy efficiency in social and local authority housing. While individual householders are excluded from applying, it will be open to local authorities and other social housing providers to apply for funding under the scheme.
Since 1976, all new local authority housing has been built with wall cavity, attic and floor insulation. The standards of insulation required for new housing have been progressively improved in 1982, 1991, and again in 1997 under the building regulations. I envisage that further improvements will come into force with effect from 1 July 2002.
My Department financially assists local authorities in upgrading, renovating and redeveloping their housing stock through the remedial works scheme and funding for regeneration and redevelopment projects. Works under the remedial works scheme must comply with the building regulations. The extent of works carried out to dwellings varies from project to project. Where an extensive programme of refurbishment works is carried out, measures are taken to improve thermal insulation in accordance with the building regulations. Some 14,500 dwellings have been refurbished since the inception of the scheme.
I have no proposals to introduce an insulation grant for local authority tenants.