Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
664. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will request additional funding or allow local authorities reallocate existing funding to reopen retrofitting schemes, such as for doors, windows and minor improvements, for local authority housing stock ahead of the winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44053/22]
View answerMy Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP) in 2013 with the aim of funding retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013, over 75,000 local authority social housing dwellings have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of over €183 million.
Up to 2020, the EERP was carried out in two Phases:
- Phase 1 of the programme provided funding targeted at the less intrusive cavity wall/attic insulation
- Phase 2 focused on fabric upgrade works to those dwellings with solid/hollow block wall construction and included the provision of heating upgrades.
The Phase 1 and Phase 2 approach to retrofitting is now withdrawn with the introduction in 2021 of a new holistic approach designed around the Programme for Government commitment that calls for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes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.
Works eligible under the revised Programme include attic/cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation where required, windows and doors replacement, heat pump installation and ancillary and associated works.
The 2022 EERP budget provided a significant increase in funding support to €85 million allowing approximately 2,400 local authority owned social homes to be upgraded to a B2 or cost optimal equivalent (BER). With regard to the properties which are selected to be retrofitted through funding available from the EERP, this is a matter for each individual local authority. In addition to the funding provided by my Department for energy efficiency upgrades local authorities can and do in many cases carry out upgrades to home within their housing stock using their own resources.
