I am advised by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) that grant aid of €400,000 was paid to Carlinn Hall in 2008 through the House of Tomorrow Scheme, in addition to €16,000 for a Feasibility Study earlier that year. No officials from my Department met or engaged with representatives of the development in question.
The House of Tomorrow Programme closed to new applications in June 2007. The objective of the Programme was to realise higher energy efficiency standards in new housing, and underpin the move to a 40% mandatory standard, thus reducing energy usage and lowering CO2 emissions.
Over the period 2001-2007, participation in the programme required a performance improvement of 20% and subsequently 40% relative to the Building Regulations 2005 baseline. The making of the Building Regulations 2008 by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, made mandatory the 40% improvement standards supported by the Programme for its duration.