Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021
220. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans for the expansion of current and introduction of new schemes for retrofitting of homes and the urgent need to deal with current applications and delivery of such schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46309/21]
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 or cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. A new National Retrofit Plan will be published in quarter 4 of this year. The plan is designed to address barriers to energy efficiency investments in four key areas: customer proposition and demand generation, financing and affordability, supplier capacity, and governance.
SEAI grant schemes will be a central element of the Government's approach to achieving our retrofit targets. It is intended to launch a new National Retrofit Scheme focused on achieving B2 retrofits later this year. The existing SEAI grant schemes will be aligned with the National Retrofit Scheme as appropriate.
This year, some €221.5 million in capital funding has been provided for SEAI residential and community retrofit programmes, including the Solar PV scheme and the Building Energy Rating programme. This represents an 82% increase on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever for the schemes. It is important to note that extensive COVID-19 related restrictions on construction activity between January and mid-April had a significant impact on activity this year. Output has also been negatively impacted by challenges associated with availability and longer lead times for materials. Every effort is being made to maximise output now that construction activity in the residential sector has recommenced.
