Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 May 2022
90. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if consideration will be given to rewarding SEAI retrofitting grants where works have already commenced but meet the SEAI grant criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22012/22]
View answerMy Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their existing properties. Since 2000, over 465,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes, representing nearly one home in four across the country. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier to heat and light.
These schemes have terms and conditions in place to ensure the transparent administration of public funds. These terms and conditions must be adhered to consistently by SEAI to ensure fairness as well as value for money for the Exchequer.
Grant assistance for residential retrofitting measures provided by Government through these schemes is intended to incentivise future behaviour. Therefore, homeowners who have not applied and been approved for grant support through the SEAI prior to commencing works on their properties will not be entitled to retrospective awarding of grants.
