Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 December 2021
198. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his attention has been drawn to a person (details supplied) who is experiencing a delay with completing a Sustainable Energy Association of Ireland application; if he will request his officials to review the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62875/21]
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 lower income households vulnerable to energy poverty. To date over 143,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme leaving them better able to afford to heat their homes to an adequate level.
Applications under SEAI schemes are an operational matter for the SEAI. As Minister, I have no function with regard to individual grant applications. However, my officials have made contact with SEAI in relation to the case referred to by the Deputy. I have been informed by the SEAI that the applicant’s home, referred to by the Deputy, has been surveyed by the SEAI and they expect this home to be assigned to a contractor in the next allocation in Quarter 1, 2022.
Budget 2022 has allocated €202 million for SEAI residential and community retrofit schemes and a further €10 million for the Solar PV scheme next year. Of this amount, €109 million will be used to provide free energy efficiency upgrades to households that are in, or at risk of, energy poverty.
In addition to the significant capital allocation for the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme next year, resources have been provided to expand the capacity of the SEAI to deliver the scheme. In addition, delivery capacity in the supply chain has increased due to a new, broader contractor panel that commenced at the end of 2020.
