Committee of Public Accounts to examine 2021 Financial Statements of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)

The meeting at 9.30am in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House will be joined by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Seamus McCarthy, representatives from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and officials from the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Transport.

During the afternoon session, beginning at 1.30pm, the Committee will consider correspondence and other business of the Committee.

PAC Cathaoirleach Deputy Brian Stanley said: “The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland is a semi-State body established to promote and aid in the development of sustainable energy. The SEAI is the body responsible for overseeing the national retrofitting of domestic and business buildings to increase energy efficiency and move away from fossil fuels as heat sources. It also funds and supports research into new technologies, including bioenergy, electric vehicles, the combination of heat and power systems, and ocean energy.

“The SEAI’s income for 2021 was nearly €232m of which 98 per cent related to Exchequer funding received from both the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications (€156m) and the Department of Transport (€70m). The SEAI’s expenditure in 2021 was nearly €231m, the majority of which is related to 18 grant schemes it manages and includes spending of €129m on energy efficiency programmes and €69m on electric vehicles.

“Areas of interest for the Committee include how the SEAI ensures that its grant schemes are delivering value for money for the taxpayer, and the controls and governance arrangements in place for the various schemes.

“There will be specific focus on the National Retrofit Scheme, which will see expenditure increase significantly this year, the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme to upgrade the energy efficiency of privately-owned homes experiencing fuel poverty, the Public Sector Energy Efficiency programme for State-owned and operated facilities, and the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, including home chargers and public charging points.

“The Committee looks forward to discussing these and related matters with the SEAI chairperson Dermot Byrne and chief executive William Walsh, who is the Accountable Person to the Committee on Public Accounts, and the officials from DECC and Transport.”

The meeting in Committee Room 3 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

PAC is a standing committee of Dáil Éireann which focuses on ensuring public services are run efficiently and achieve value for money. Further information on the role and remit of the Committee can be found here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.