Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022
429. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided under the energy efficiency retrofit programme to Wicklow County Council in each year from 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37658/22]
View answer430. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority owned housing stock that have been brought to a B2 BER rating level or above in each year from 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [37659/22]
View answer431. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority owned housing stock in County Wicklow that currently have a BER rating level below B2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37660/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 429 to 431, inclusive, together.
My Department introduced an Energy Efficiency Programme that commenced in 2013, with the ambition to fund retrofit on all social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works, this programme has seen improved energy efficiency and comfort levels in over 75,000 Local Authority homes over the period 2013 to the end of 2021 at a total cost to the exchequer of some €183 million.
For the period 2013 – 2020 Energy Efficiency Works were carried out in two phases:
Phase 1 aimed to ensure that the entire social housing stock would have, as a minimum, wall insulation and attic insulation (300mm). To this end, funding was initially targeted at the less intrusive cavity wall insulation as well as attic/roof insulation.
Phase 2 focused on the fabric upgrade works to those remaining dwellings with solid/hollow block wall construction and includes the provision of heating upgrades.
The previous programme was withdrawn in 2021 with the introduction of a new holistic Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme that focuses on ensuring that the fabric of the home is upgraded and an energy efficient heating system is provided. The programme will see a significant upscaling on what has been completed by local authorities in previous years.
This new enhanced ten year energy efficiency programme was launched in response to a commitment made under the Programme for Government, which called for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent BER standard by 2030, of which approximately 36,500 are expected to be local authority owned homes.
The 2022 Energy Efficiency Retrofitting programme has seen a significant increase in funding support to local authorities to €85 million, allowing approximately 2,400 homes nationally to be upgraded to a B2 or Cost Optimal Equivalent Standard.
A breakdown of the funding provided and the output per local authority since 2013 can be found on the Department website below: www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/
My Department also introduced a pilot Midlands Energy Retrofit Programme in 2020-2022, the details of which are found below. A further 146 properties were retrofitted to a BER of B2/ Cost Optimal Equivalent and these figures are in addition to the National Retrofit Programme.
gov.ie - Midlands Energy Retrofit Programme - Expenditure and Units (www.gov.ie)
Work in relation to the 2022 programme is underway but it will be later this year before significant recoupment claims are lodged with my Department. Full details in relation to the 2022 Energy Efficiency Retrofitting programme will be available early in 2023.
Separately details in relation to those properties that fall below the B2 BER rating should be available directly upon request from the local authority themselves.
