Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 January 2021
31. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the uptake of SEAI grants particularly in relation to persons on lower incomes due to the high cost of energy efficiency works that are not covered by existing grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1582/21]
View answerThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers a number of grant schemes to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Partial grants are available for individuals that can afford to contribute to the cost of upgrades as well as free energy efficiency retrofits for people at risk of energy poverty.
Since 2000, over 400,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes. Over 142,000 of these were free upgrades for lower income households. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier and cheaper to heat and light.
€221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year through my Department's Vote to the SEAI for residential and community retrofit schemes. This represents an 82% increase on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever for the schemes. Of this amount, €109 million is allocated to provide free upgrades for lower income households with the balance of €112.5 million to be spent on expanding existing SEAI grant schemes and introducing new initiatives.
The 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 by 2030. While SEAI grant schemes will be central to achieving these targets, Government recognises that additional action is required to mobilise private capital and develop financial models that are suitable for each householder group. That is why financing will be a key pillar of our national retrofit plan.
In this regard, my Department is engaging with the Department of Finance and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland in relation to alternative measures that could further reduce the financing cost of retrofit for homeowners.
