Written Answers Nos. 235-245
235. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number and value in euro of grants provided under each individual scheme under better energy programme administered by the SEAI, in each of the years 2014 to 2018, by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3553/19]
View answer239. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number and value of grants provided under each individual scheme in the SEAI better energy programme for the years 2014 to 2018, by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3618/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 235 and 239 together.
The Better Energy Programme is funded by my Department and operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The programme consists of three main schemes: Homes, Warmer Homes and Communities.
- Better Energy Homes provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes.
- Better Energy Warmer Homes delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households who meet the defined eligibility criteria and who are vulnerable to energy poverty.
- Better Energy Communities supports energy efficiency upgrades to mixed projects of homes, community facilities and businesses in a local community.
- These schemes are supplemented by two pilot schemes exploring the multiple benefits of energy efficiency and the challenges of moving to deeper retrofit.
- The Warmth and Wellbeing scheme which was launched as a pilot initiative under the Government’s Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty and the Healthy Ireland Framework. The aim of the scheme, a joint policy initiative between my Department and the Department of Health, which began in 2016, is to demonstrate the positive effects that making homes warmer and more energy efficient can have on the health and well-being of people in energy poverty who are living with a chronic respiratory condition. An independent research project is underway alongside the scheme's delivery and will assess the impact the scheme is having.
- The Deep Retrofit Pilot Scheme which launched in 2017 is investigating how to create a scalable offering for the deep retrofit of Ireland’s housing stock to an A3 Building Energy Rating (BER), while building consumer demand and contractor capacity for deep retrofit. Under the scheme Government is funding up to 50% of the total capital and project management costs for homes that achieve an A3 Building Energy Rating post retrofit.
- The information requested in relation to number and value of grants provided under each scheme, by county breakdown for 2014 to 2018 where available, is set out in the following tables contained in the following link:
[<a> href="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/2019-01-25_pq235-25-01-2019_en.docx"-Energy Homes</a>]
.
236. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number and value in euro of grants provided under the smart lighting programme pilot administered by the SEAI in 2018, by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3554/19]
View answer240. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number and value of grants provided under the SEAI smart lighting programme pilot in 2018, by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3619/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 240 together.
The Smart Lighting Pilot Programme provides grants of up to 30% for SMEs to upgrade to more efficient lighting, permanently reducing future energy use and spend. The pilot scheme was introduced in 2017 and saw a significant increase in uptake in participation for 2018. The scheme will be re-introduced in 2019.
The total value of the grants in 2018 was just over €369,000, breakdown by county is set out in the table.
|
County |
No. of Applications |
Value of Grants Sought |
|
Carlow |
0 |
€ - |
|
Cavan |
2 |
€ 11,000 |
|
Clare |
2 |
€ 7,000 |
|
Cork |
31 |
€ 132,258 |
|
Donegal |
2 |
€ 6,480 |
|
Dublin |
0 |
€ - |
|
Galway |
0 |
€ - |
|
Kerry |
3 |
€ 13,300 |
|
Kildare |
4 |
€ 12,750 |
|
Kilkenny |
7 |
€ 26,089 |
|
Laois |
1 |
€ 1,750 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
€ - |
|
Limerick |
3 |
€ 8,397 |
|
Longford |
0 |
€ - |
|
Louth |
2 |
€ 7,000 |
|
Mayo |
3 |
€ 10,000 |
|
Meath |
6 |
€ 34,380 |
|
Monaghan |
5 |
€ 19,560 |
|
Offaly |
2 |
€ 7,000 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
€ - |
|
Sligo |
0 |
€ - |
|
Tipperary |
5 |
€ 16,892 |
|
Waterford |
7 |
€ 27,750 |
|
Westmeath |
0 |
€ - |
|
Wexford |
3 |
€ 12,600 |
|
Wicklow |
4 |
€ 15,120 |
|
Multi County |
0 |
€ - |
237. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number and value in euros of applications under the ACA scheme administered by the SEAI in 2018, by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3555/19]
View answer241. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number and value of applications under the SEAI ACA scheme in 2018 by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3620/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 241 together.
The Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) is a tax incentive scheme that promotes investment in energy efficient products & equipment. The scheme is available to companies and unincorporated businesses which incur expenditure on approved energy efficient equipment for use in their trade. Products eligible under the scheme are included in a list of energy-efficient equipment approved by this Department and maintained by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Revenue administer the scheme, in which companies can claim the allowance through their Return of Income Form CT1. The information currently returned to Revenue by taxpayers in relation to the ACA scheme gives an indication of the cost of the scheme to the Exchequer and the tax benefit to taxpayers.
My department is however not in a position to provide more detailed information on the uptake of the scheme as this information resides with Revenue and not with my Department. I understand that there is currently no legislative basis for Revenue to share information that is returned to Revenue by taxpayers with Government departments beyond aggregate statistics.
The most recent aggregate data, as published on Revenue's website, is for 2016 and shows a total of 71 claims with a combined value of allowances claimed of €0.9m. This information can be accessed on page 2 at the following link under the heading "Capital Allowances Used (Energy Efficient Capital Allowance only)".
https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/statistics/tax-expenditures/costs-tax-expenditures.pdf.
238. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of meetings he has attended since the beginning of September 2018 with his officials to discuss and prepare for Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3592/19]
View answerAt least once a month, I meet with the Department’s Management Board. Brexit is a standing item on the Agenda at these meetings and members are updated on contingency and preparedness planning in my Department, and I also discuss Brexit issues with officials as issues arise. These meetings update on developments and discuss actions and contingency plans being developed by the Department. Since I was appointed Minister on 16 October last, I have attended six such meetings where Brexit issues have been discussed:
17 October 2018
25 October 2018
20 November 2018
7 December 2018
11 January 2019
18 January 2019
Apart from these formal meetings, I speak regularly with senior officials at other meetings as issues and queries arise so that I receive up to date information and advice, and Brexit is also considered at Cabinet.
