Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 December 2013
306. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the supports, including financial assistance, that are available to the owner of an hotel who wants to improve the energy efficiency of their business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52604/13]
View answerHotels are able to receive grants to improve the energy efficiency of their business through the Better Energy Community Programme. This programme, launched in 2013, provides Exchequer funding to support energy efficiency projects within local communities. It encourages innovation and pioneering partnerships between public and private, domestic and non-domestic, commercial and not for profit sectors. All applications to the scheme in 2013 were evaluated on the basis of the competitive assessment. Higher scores were awarded to projects with more than one partner and that displayed technical innovation. Some hotels received funding as part of partnership projects and hotels who received funding did not apply on their own. There is Exchequer funding of €7 million in place to continue the scheme in 2014 and it is anticipated that the call for applications will open in the first quarter of next year.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) also provides advice and training for businesses on ways to reduce their energy bills through the SME support Centre. A wide range of activities including energy assessments, small business training, EnergyMap training and a number of networking events are provided. The Advice Mentoring and Assessments (AMA) programme has recorded annual savings of over 10% being generated by the participating businesses year on year. To participate, businesses can register online on the SEAI website (www.SEAI.ie).
