Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2020
180. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the number of homes on the waiting list in counties Longford and Westmeath for the better energy warmer homes scheme. [36392/20]
View answerThe 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 aim of the scheme is to deliver efficiency measures in a way which represents the best use of Exchequer funding. Budget 2021 provided €221.5 million in capital funding for residential and community retrofit programmes next year to be funded by my Department through the SEAI. This represents an additional €100 million, or 82% increase, on the 2020 allocation and is the largest ever budget for the schemes. Of this allocation, €109 million (€100 million for the Warmer Homes Scheme) is provided to support lower income households to retrofit their homes. This represents an increase of €47 million on the 2020 allocation for energy poverty schemes and means that almost half of the total residential and community retrofit budget will support people vulnerable to energy poverty.
SEAI originally estimated that works would be completed in approximately 3,500 homes under the scheme this year. Delivery has however been negatively impacted by Covid, particularly between March and June when the scheme was fully paused in line with Government guidelines. In line with the wider construction sector, retrofit works are continuing, subject to a full risk assessment and compliance with all available guidelines. Completions under this scheme is now expected be closer to 1,500 homes this year.
The following table presents the number of homes on the Warmer Homes Scheme work programme in Longford and Westmeath, as of 30 October 2020, that:
- are currently undergoing works,
- have been allocated to contractors for works,
- have completed an initial home survey and are awaiting allocation to a contractor, or
- are awaiting the initial survey of their home.
Warmer Homes Scheme Work Programme by County
|
County |
No. of Homes |
|
Co. Longford |
69 |
|
Co. Westmeath |
161 |
