Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
131. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if it will be ensured housing agencies can access the national retrofitting scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35089/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. Housing associations are an important stakeholder and will play a key role in the achievement of our national retrofit targets. Budget 2021 provided €221.5 million in capital funding for SEAI residential and community retrofit schemes. This represents an 82% increase on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever for the schemes. This allocation will kick-start the first phase of our retrofit programme.
The first of the new schemes supported by this allocation was launched in September when a call for projects under the new National Retrofit (One-Stop-Shop Development) scheme issued. This scheme is open to registered housing associations as well as local authorities, energy utilities, groups of private households and other organisations who wish to participate in delivering energy efficiency upgrades to homes. This will allow the development of working relationships between SEAI, housing associations and other relevant groups in order to facilitate large scale residential energy upgrades. A call for projects under the Communities Energy Grant scheme is also imminent and will be open to housing associations. Further details on SEAI grant schemes are available on it’s website.
