Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 1

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Ciarán Cuffe

Ceist:

317 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the grant assistance available to individuals, communities or enterprises to install photovoltaic and water solar panels; the schemes he envisages being made available to householders to install renewable energy technologies in view of Ireland's 86% import fuel dependency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21413/02]

Minister for Communications and Natural Resources (Mr. D. Ahern)

Sustainable Energy Ireland which was established as a statutory agency on 1 May this year implements initiatives on renewable energy and energy efficiency on behalf of my Department. At present they do not provide any direct funding support at an individual householder level.

Two research development and demonstration programmes in the areas of energy efficiency and renewable energy have been launched, namely, the house of tomorrow and renewable energy research, development and demonstration programmes which are being administered on my behalf by Sustainable Energy Ireland. The house of tomorrow programme offers support for research, development and demonstration projects aimed at generating and applying technologies, products, systems, practices and information leading to more sustainable energy performance in Irish housing. The main focus of the programme is on stimulating widespread uptake of superior energy planning, design, specification and construction practices in both the new home building and home improvement markets. The programme has an indicative budget of €21.1 million over the period 2001-06. The programme will include three specific strands aimed at enhanced best practice and innovation in housing. These three strands together aim to support a total of 2,500 new build homes and the retrofitting of 500 homes with specific support funding and regional spread criteria already set down. However, I must emphasize that in all cases the programme will seek to support collectives of more than five dwellings and so no direct support at individual level is available. The focus of the renewable energy research development and demonstration programme is to stimulate the application and further deployment of renewable energies, particularly those close to market viability.

Within this particular programme renewable energy technologies including photovoltaic and solar water heating are among a long list of technologies that may qualify for support as part of an overall and comprehensive project selection and qualification process. Within the renewable energy research, development and demonstration programme there is a provision for community based renewable energy projects to apply.

The renewable energy research, development and deployment programme has a budget of €16 million over the period 2001-06.