Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2024
165. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the percentage of applications for the warmer homes scheme under the SEAI that were deemed ineligible for works due to the terms of the scheme, following the initial assessment phase, 1 January 2023 and 8 April 2024 in cases where the applicants meet the means test requirement for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16120/24]
View answerLast year, almost 5,900 homes were upgraded under the Warmer Homes Scheme, with an average spend of €25,000 per home and €157 million in total expenditure. A record budget allocation of almost €210 million is in place for the scheme this year. A range of upgrades are recommended for each property depending on the characteristics of the home and the suitability of the works available based on a technical survey of the home.
Applications for this scheme can be cancelled by either the homeowner or the SEAI. Homeowners can cancel the application for reasons, including ill health or moving house. Applications can also be cancelled by SEAI because the survey has determined that no works are possible, for example, where the home is already insulated to the level targeted by the scheme or where the home cannot be appropriately insulated in line with the building regulations.
Data provided by the SEAI shows that a total of 1,102 applications were cancelled in 2022 and that 1,768 were cancelled in 2023. In both years, 18% of the total were cancelled by the homeowner and 82% by the SEAI. This is a significant reduction on 2017, when one in three homes was deemed unsuitable for the works available. The reduction followed changes to the scheme in 2018 that allowed additional wall insulation measures to be provided. Data for 2024 is not yet available from SEAI.
My Department is working with the SEAI to determine whether additional mechanisms need to be introduced to further reduce the number of cancelled applications.
