Pat Breen
Question:49 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to introduce an energy efficiency scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39182/11]
View answerWednesday, 7 December 2011
Questions (49)
Written answers
The Better Energy programme, which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on behalf of my Department, provides energy efficiency upgrades in privately owned homes. Since 2004, retrofitting measures in local authority housing are undertaken as part of the local authority-owned housing improvement works programme. This is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
In 2011, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government consolidated its approach to improving standards in local authority-owned housing, focusing on the improvement of vacant properties and undertaking estate-wide improvement works.
The Programme for Government provides a commitment to roll out a Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS) retrofit scheme after 2013, which is anticipated to replace the existing grant supports in this area. PAYS is an innovative financing mechanism that will allow consumers to finance upgrades directly through the energy savings generated.
My Department has convened a project team to undertake preliminary analysis of the design of a PAYS model. I expect to be in a position to bring proposals to Government shortly. The potential application of a PAYS mechanism to local authority properties is being assessed as part of the analysis.