The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty.
The Warmer Homes Scheme budget allocation for 2020 is €52.8 million - a record level of funding for this scheme.
The aim of the scheme is to deliver efficiency measures in a way which represents the best possible use of Exchequer funding. The rules of the Scheme stipulate that repeat upgrade visits are not provided. This rule is in place to ensure that the available Exchequer funding provides upgrades to as many eligible homes as possible and to prioritise eligible homes that have never had any work completed under the scheme.
Demand for the scheme is extremely high, reflecting the shift to deeper measures, and is impacted by longer delivery times associated with these types of works and the available budget. The homeowners on this waiting list have never received any form of free upgrade from SEAI under the scheme.
The Climate Action Plan commits to reviewing ways to improve how current energy poverty schemes target those most in need. This review is near completion and considers the issue of revisits for additional works.
It is important to note that the current public health emergency has meant that the scheme is not carrying out works on homes at present. This necessary pause in activity will add to the waiting times for homeowners who are due to receive works.