Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2021
157. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of homes which have been retrofitted since January 2020 to date; and the number of homes that have received funding as part of the retrofitting scheme in this time by month in tabular form. [33180/21]
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.
€221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year for SEAI residential and community retrofit programmes. This represents an 82% increase on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever for the schemes. This allocation has facilitated the expansion and improvement of existing SEAI grant schemes and the introduction of new initiatives. A further €65 million has been allocated to retrofit social housing administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
The number of homes retrofitted with SEAI support by scheme and by month of drawdown in 2020 and to date in 2021 is set out in the tables below. In 2020, SEAI residential and community retrofit schemes supported the upgrading of over 17,600 homes. The number of retrofits last year were unfortunately, negatively impacted by COVID-19 related restrictions. Enhanced COVID restrictions between January and April also had a significant impact on activity this year. Every effort is being made to maximise activity now that construction activity in the residential sector has recommenced.
