Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 November 2012
27. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his proposal for a pay as you save scheme to replace the better energy homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53267/12]
View answerThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy Homes under the Better Energy Programme. The scheme is a demand-led programme and the Government has committed €76.146 million in Exchequer funding to the programme in 2012.
The Better Energy Homes scheme provides financial assistance for improving energy performance of older homes, built any time before 2006. The scheme enables homeowners to save money, while improving comfort and reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar thermal panels and accompanying Building Energy Rating (BER).
The Programme for Government includes a commitment to roll out a Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS) retrofit scheme after 2013, to replace the Exchequer funding currently being provided to the Better Energy Programme. The PAYS concept is an innovative financing mechanism that will allow consumers to finance energy efficient upgrades. The PAYS scheme proposes that the current suite of Exchequer funded grants for energy efficiency measures, excluding the low-income housing retrofit programme, will be replaced by a comprehensive national energy efficiency scheme open to households and commercial operators. This should allow consumers to avail of energy efficiency measures using the money that they would have spent on their energy bill.
I am pleased to report that the Department, with the assistance of the SEAI, has commenced a project team, staffed with a wide range of industry experience, to deliver a project design to Government in 2013. The project team will be engaging widely with stakeholders as part of this development work.
