As part of a national programme for the "greening" of the social housing stock, some €50 million in exchequer funding has been set aside in 2009 to support a range of initiatives to improve the energy efficiency of the stock. This programme will include support for the first round of Towards Carbon Neutral demonstration projects as well as funding for insulation retrofitting projects that will inform future schemes. A number of projects are already being considered by my Department for funding under these two schemes.
As previously announced, funding will also be provided to assist local authorities in improving the energy rating of dwellings due to be re-let during the year, and to advance the overall energy efficiency in apartment complexes. The details of this element of the overall programme are being prepared by my Department and will be circulated to local authorities in due course.