Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2021
96. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to require local housing authorities to update social housing heating systems from solid fuel heating to oil heating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47050/21]
View answerSince 2007 it has been a requirement that all new dwellings, including local authority owned social homes, have renewable energy systems installed, with a requirement for all new dwellings to achieve Nearly Zero Energy building performance being introduced in 2019. In 2020 the Programme for Government included a commitment to retrofit approximately 500,000 homes by 2030 to a B2/cost optimal BER standard. It is expected that approximately 36,500 of those homes will be owned by the local authority sector.
In response to the Programme for Government commitment my Department launched a newly revised ten year Energy Efficiency Programme in 2021 for local authority owned housing. This new programme set a BER performance requirement of “B2” or cost optimal level. The upscaling of the works included in the programme sees a substantial overall increase in funding made available for insulation, windows and doors, with a significant increase for the upgrading of the heating system, specifically for the installation of a Heat Pump and associated works. The installation of gas/oil boilers are no longer supported under the energy efficiency programme funded by my Department.
