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Departmental Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2022

Tuesday, 5 July 2022

Questions (103, 104, 105)

Martin Browne

Question:

103. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of applicants for the fully funded retrofits under the warmer homes scheme each year for the past five years, per county, in tabular form. [35528/22]

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Martin Browne

Question:

104. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of households approved for the fully funded retrofits under the warmer homes scheme each year for the past five years, per county, in tabular form. [35529/22]

View answer

Martin Browne

Question:

105. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the average wait time between submitting an application for the warmer homes scheme and receiving approval, per county, over the past five years. [35530/22]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 105, inclusive, together.

The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households who are most at risk of energy poverty. It is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Since the start of the scheme in 2000, over 145,000 free upgrades have been supported by the scheme. In 2021, the average cost of the energy efficiency measures provided per household had increased to €17,620.

Activity under the scheme, and the associated expenditure, were significantly impacted in both 2020 and 2021 by the COVID pandemic, when construction activity was paused for approximately 12 months in total. Furthermore, access to properties during restricted periods, in line with Government guidelines, was often challenging.

There are currently over 9,000 homes awaiting works on the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme work programme. This includes homes that are currently undergoing works; have been allocated to contractors for works; have completed an initial home survey and are awaiting allocation to a contractor or are awaiting the initial survey of their home.  It is important to note that the SEAI received 4,077 applications for the scheme  to the end of May this year, compared with 2,874 for the whole of 2021.  The increased publicity around the launch of the new SEAI National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme and revisions to the Warmer Homes Scheme, together with increased energy costs are driving demand.

Reducing the waiting times on the Warmer Homes scheme waiting list is a top priority for my Department and SEAI and in order to reduce this timeline to completion and target a monthly average of 400 completions this year, the following actions have already been taken:

- The budget, at €109 million, is nearly three times the 2021 outturn (€38 million) and funding has also been sought through the European Regional Development Fund;

- SEAI has been allocated additional staff for the Warmer Homes Scheme;

- SEAI is working to Increase contractor output through active contract engagement and management.

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of applicants by county is not routinely reported by SEAI.  However, the number of applicants nationally in the past five years is set out below.

Warmer Homes Scheme

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022*

No. of Applications Received

7,408

5,682

2,858

2,874

4,077

The number of approvals (i.e. homes completed) by county in the past five years is set out in the Table below.

Homes Completed

County

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022*

Carlow

63

67

11

25

12

Cavan

173

44

22

35

30

Clare

147

68

22

40

12

Cork

504

223

142

153

115

Donegal

587

162

87

116

78

Dublin

829

649

500

693

535

Galway

242

172

86

80

44

Kerry

329

84

55

53

49

Kildare

167

103

40

90

44

Kilkenny

73

59

20

37

12

Laois

95

63

11

21

3

Leitrim

58

41

17

23

26

Limerick

160

121

16

49

39

Longford

72

37

13

21

18

Louth

139

115

26

61

34

Mayo

214

195

68

64

45

Meath

124

90

60

81

72

Monaghan

100

42

14

24

21

Offaly

90

51

42

30

35

Roscommon

116

56

33

43

21

Sligo

105

59

27

35

14

Tipperary

144

84

22

49

30

Waterford

117

179

42

84

44

Westmeath

140

78

39

52

49

Wexford

317

178

74

110

32

Wicklow

113

118

31

55

39

 Total

5,218

3,138

1,520

2,124

1,453

*to end of May 2022

Data in relation to average wait time by County is not routinely collected by SEAI presently but will be monitored going forward.  SEAI reports to my Department on the average cycle times from application to completion which is set out in the Table below. It is important to note that waiting times and cycle times have been affected by COVID related issues.  In addition there are deeper measures being provided under the scheme since 2018, which involve more substantive works.

Warmer Homes Scheme

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022*

Average Cycle-time from Application to Completion

Not available

Not available

Not available

26 months

27 months

*to end of May 2022

Question No. 104 answered with Question No. 103.
Question No. 105 answered with Question No. 103.
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