Thomas Gould
Ceist:77. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has considered a re-introduction of public service bin collections to reduce the impact of fly-tipping and dumping. [11502/23]
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Questions Nos. 75 and 76 taken with Written Answers.
Illegal Dumping
Has the Minister of State considered the reintroduction of public service bin collections to reduce the impact of fly-tipping and dumping.
Local authorities are responsible for municipal waste collection and waste management planning within their functional areas. The obligations on local authorities relating to collecting household waste are set out in section 33 of the Waste Management Act 1996, as amended. In summary, it provides that each local authority shall collect, or arrange for the collection of, household waste within its functional area. The obligation to collect or arrange for the collection of household waste shall not apply if: an adequate waste collection service is available in the local authority's functional area; the estimated costs of the collection of the waste would, in the opinion of the local authority, be unreasonably high; or the local authority is satisfied that adequate arrangements for the disposal of the waste concerned can reasonably be made by the holder of the waste.
It is open to any local authority to re-enter the waste collection market as direct service providers if they so choose, either alongside existing permitted service providers or subject to making arrangements to replace those providers.
Under section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act 1996 I am, as delegated Minister of State, precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by a local authority, in particular circumstances, of a statutory function vested in that local authority.
As the Minister of State delegated by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, I am focused on introducing measures to drive waste minimisation and improve waste segregation to help us achieve our challenging EU targets for municipal waste recycling of 55%, 60% and 65% by 2025, 2030 and 2035, respectively. In this regard I have recently signed regulations to introduce incentivised charging for the commercial sector from 1 July. My Department is currently drafting regulations to roll out biowaste collection to all households in the State with a waste collection service.
Bin charges have increased by 10% since 2021. People are now facing the prospect of having to pay for their compost to be collected. This flies in the face of the excuses used at the time of imposing bin charges to encourage recycling.
The Minister of State just said local authorities have responsibility for waste collection, and one of the reasons it could privatise it is where costs are unreasonably high, and that the power remains with the local authority. If we have local authorities that do not have the funding to provide a bin collection service, because of Government decisions we are forcing local authorities to privatise. If we look at the amount of waste they are throwing away, it has stayed the same since 2010. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, recycling has reduced, and all bin collection charges are doing now is encouraging dumping. The reality is that when families are stuck between heating and eating, their last priority is waste collection. If people have a choice of putting shoes on their children or paying for their waste collection, what would they do?
Deputy Gould is way over time.
A waiver should be in place for elderly people and people with disabilities.
Deputy Gould makes the point that although local authorities have the right to collect the waste themselves if they want to do so, and that it is their choice, he is saying they do not have the funding. Local authorities set their own local property taxes and commercial rates levels. If they want to raise funding to run their own waste collection services, they can do. They also have the incentive that they can charge for waste collection, as a private company does. They could charge a lower fee if they wanted. They can do all of that if that is their choice. If any local authority wants to write to me and tell me that it wants to re-municipalise its waste service, perhaps at the request of councillors, it is welcome to do that. As Minister of State, I am not entitled to overrule the decisions of local authorities and what they choose to do with their waste collection. In my experience, living in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council area, there was a time when the council collected the waste and then private collectors entered the market. When the private collectors entered the market they charged less than the council. They collected green bin waste and brown bin waste, which the council had not been doing. They provided a better service and people chose to move to those private collectors.
The Minister of State is over time.
The council lost a huge quantity of money on waste collection and does not want to go back there.
I wish to point something out to the Minister of State. He provided funding for anti-dumping initiatives in 2022. Of the 13 projects in Cork city, only one was on the north side. The communities that got the funding were the ones that were most affluent and probably least in need of it, while the communities that were most in need did not get it. Perhaps they did not have the interest or organisation to apply for it. Could the Minister of State explain that?
We have a situation now where there are voids, vacant houses belonging to local authorities, which are a magnet for dumping. I raised this yesterday with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. There is an unbelievable amount of dumping and antisocial behaviour.
Vulnerable people such as pensioners and people with disabilities should be given a waiver. Will the Minister of State provide funding to local authorities for a waiver? Some local authorities provide a waiver to those vulnerable people and others do not.
I thank Deputy Gould.
Either everyone is treated equally, or they are not. That lies with the Minister of State.
In the context of the council's role, I want to ask the Minister of State whether he believes it would be helpful in terms of promoting recycling if there was more information on the rate of contamination of collections to be provided through the various providers. I refer to greater clarity on the destination of the different waste streams and perhaps better clarity on the labelling of packaging so that people would have a much clearer view of the way in which they should treat different items.
I was in Cork city last year meeting Cork City Council and the waste collectors, the people who collect the waste themselves, so that I could get a good input, in particular on dumping. I was not aware that there was a problem with anti-dumping initiatives being focused on wealthier areas. I will look into it. That is not the point of it. We are introducing CCTV very shortly to catch commercial dumping operations – criminals who are dumping in areas where they think they are going to get away with it.
To respond to Deputy Bruton, I will look into the rate of contamination. One of the most important things is to give information to people about the destination of waste. There are a lot of myths around where waste goes. People just do not understand where green bin waste or brown bin waste goes. There are stories that it all goes to China or that it is not reprocessed. I have gone to visit all of those facilities and I have seen what happens. I think we could do better at providing information through services like mywaste.ie and so on, through videos to explain to people where waste ends up.
Could the Minister of State say anything about the waiver?
National Broadband Plan
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Ceist:78. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the rollout of the national broadband plan to include the number of premises passed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19763/23]
Not for the first time I will ask the Minister of State for an update on the roll-out of the national broadband plan, the number of premises passed, and if he could make a statement on the matter. In fairness, I will be looking to see if there has been any movement in regard to an acceleration of the process, reducing it from seven years to six years and whether we have finalised deadlines and timelines for all those people, even those who are going to be at the tail end of it. I will deal with some mitigation questions later.
I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for this question which I am very happy to answer.
The Government of Ireland's national digital strategy, NDS, Harnessing Digital - The Digital Ireland Framework, is helping to drive the digital transition across the economy and society. Its ambition is to make connectivity available to everyone, including through the national broadband plan, remote working hubs and broadband connection points, with a target of having all Irish households and businesses covered by a gigabit network not later than 2028 and all populated areas covered by 5G not later than 2030.
The latest quarterly key data report, QKDR, published by ComReg on 8 March 2023 shows that fixed broadband subscriptions increased to 1.61 million, a 2.2% increase year on year. Of these, 57% have download speeds greater than 100 Mbps.
The national broadband plan, NBP, is being delivered by National Broadband Ireland, NBI, under a contract, signed in November 2019 by the former Minister, Deputy Bruton, which came into effect in January 2020. The contract provides for the roll-out of a high-speed and future-proofed broadband network within the intervention area, which covers 1.1 million people, 560,000 premises, 100,000 businesses and farms, and 679 schools. I am advised by NBI that, as of 14 April 2023 more than 147,600 premises can order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 26 counties. Of those, 135,500 premises passed are available for immediate connection.
Eir has committed to rolling out fibre to some 1.9 million premises. SIRO has passed more than 470,000 premises with gigabit services and has recently announced plans to extend its network to an additional 300,000 premises. Virgin Media plans to bring gigabit broadband upgrades to 1 million premises. The network operators and telecom service providers across the State continue to invest in their networks.
If I heard the Minister of State correctly, 147,000 can pre-order and 135,000 premises were passed. I assume that those numbers fall within the updated timelines for delivery, in particular as regards premises passed. I hope there are no hiccups in the future, as there had been previously, accepting the issues in regard to Covid, etc.
From my own discussions with NBI, my understanding is that what is a seven-year programme can be accelerated to a six-year programme. There are some legal issues that are being dealt with in court currently, but it involves Eir, either with the Eir make-ready product or it would mean NBI being given the capacity to do some of those works. Could we get an update on where that conversation is? Have we got an outline and timeline for everybody at this point in time, or will we soon, even if they are at the end of the seven years?
It is a seven-year project. It started in 2020 and it will end at the end of 2026. That is the seven years. If you are in year six or seven, you are probably not happy and you would prefer to be in earlier years. There was a move towards acceleration at the start, then the project went slow during the pandemic and for various reasons it then began to accelerate. We are now passing our targets. We are now at the rate where by the end of 2026 everybody will be passed. We are back on the original target. The speed of deployment accelerated greatly. I would say that by the end of next year, half of all homes in the intervention area, in other words, half the homes in rural Ireland, will have access to gigabit broadband, which is unbelievable. This is purely through the NBI service.
Meanwhile, 150,000 homes in Ireland per year are connecting to fibre. I do not mean being passed; I mean getting connections. Of those, 30,000 or 20% are from NBI. In other words, they are in the non-commercial intervention area.
I went to NBI’s board meeting recently. I meet with all the commercial operators and will be meeting with Virgin very soon. We are continuing to have conversations about how we can accelerate further and have the deployment done in less than seven years. Shortly I will go to the mobile phone and broadband task force meeting in Athlone to meet with public and private providers.
I ask if we could just get the connection rate in relation to NBI, accepting that it is resellers who sell the product to clients and customers. The Minister of State pre-empted what I was going to ask. It is about the work ComReg has done in relation to making assessments. Some people will be at the tail end of delivery and we need to offer them the alternatives easily. The mobile phone and broadband task force could probably do the heavy lifting on that. That is a vital piece of work we could do, as well as ensuring that acceleration happens. I welcome that we are looking at bypassing the targets as they exist but we started from behind and if there was any possibility of speeding this up, that would be absolutely necessary. Will the Minister of State provide the information to people on what alternatives they can use and make sure they have an adequate timeline even now for delivery?
Our national strategy is for everybody in Ireland to have gigabit Internet by 2028. On the current timelines, everybody in rural Ireland will have it by 2026. Our rural deployment is going well. I am responsible for broadband across the whole of Ireland and not just the intervention area. I need to make sure we are not leaving black-spot islands in our urban areas. Just because you are in an urban area, it does not mean you should get broadband two years later than in a rural area. With that in mind, I have been examining policy options for completing urban black spots. I am looking at the copper switch off plans ComReg has been examining and at the universal service obligation for broadband which I brought in in the communication regulations Bill recently. We will have to determine the regulatory mechanism we use to oblige broadband providers to provide their service to everybody so they do not leave cul-de-sacs uncompleted in urban areas. There will be a number of trials and pilots of different technologies to achieve that and we have to do it within state aid rules.
I thank the Minister of State for his detailed reply and commend him on the progress being made. Has his Department or any body across the public service created a vision for broadband technology to deliver public services more effectively and reduce the carbon footprint of providing those services? One of the neglected areas is creating a vision for how rural Ireland, in particular, can be transformed by this technology.
Recently we completed research into the benefits of broadband in rural Ireland. Analysys Mason completed it for us to check we are meeting our cost-benefit. The cost-benefit of the project has greatly improved since it was first evaluated. It clearly was, in retrospect, the right thing to do.
It has the following effect, in simple terms. A rural village would previously have hoped for jobs through the erection of a factory. Now people are coming back with jobs and money, living near their families in that village and providing services, and cafés are starting up in them, because of the fibre. It is a new way to bring jobs, economy and population back to rural Ireland. Every county in Ireland, according to the CSO, is increasing in population. It is a vital tool for balanced regional development. It is revitalising rural towns around the country. Estate agents will say the number one feature to sell a home in rural Ireland is whether it has a fibre connection because that determines whether one can pay the mortgage.
Questions Nos. 79 to 81, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.
Energy Policy
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:82. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how he intends to act on the recommendations of the energy security review; if he has assessed the environmental, social and economic impact of State-owned gas storage versus commercial LNG; if he will rule out the introduction of commercial LNG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19962/23]
I ask the Minister how he intends to act on the recommendations of the energy security review, if he has assessed the environmental, social and economic impact of State-owned gas storage versus commercial liquified natural gas, LNG, if he will rule out the introduced of commercial LNG and if he will make a statement on the matter?
My Department is at an advanced stage of completing this review. A detailed technical analysis has been published and an extensive consultation process has been carried out. The response to the consultation was extensive, with more than 450 submissions received from a broad range of individuals and organisations. The consultation responses were reviewed and analysed, and they have provided important insights on a number of aspects such as risks, mitigation options and policy measures. My recommendations must be cognisant of the need for energy security, affordability and sustainability, including consideration of our sectoral emissions ceilings and carbon budget obligations.
My Department is also preparing recommendations in response to the report Dermot McCarthy, former Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach, prepared. Mr. McCarthy has conducted an independent review into the circumstances requiring emergency measures to be introduced to secure electricity supply over the coming winters. The independent review has been received and is under consideration by the Department.
The existing policy on LNG is set out in the Government's policy statement on the importation of fracked gas. This policy sets out that, pending the outcome of the review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems, it would not be appropriate for Ireland to permit or proceed with the development of any LNG terminals.
I refer to the timeline for this and the active consideration being given to the options set out in the energy security review. There is an understanding that the trilemma of energy security, affordability and sustainability have to be balanced out. It is a question of how to balance them out. What weighting and prioritisation will be given to each leg of the stool, given the identified risks, such as the environmental impact of fracked gas and LNG and the impact of lock-in on affordability?
That is a good question. The real challenge in energy policy is how to meet all three objectives. In my mind, increasingly it is the environmental imperative that comes first because in tackling climate emissions and meeting the goals there it is a clear measure. Either we live within the sectoral targets and the national cap on climate emissions as part of the European Union and the Paris climate agreement or we do not. It is a binary, yes-no question: are we within our targets? When it comes to security and affordability, there are always a range of alternative ways to meet those needs. In security, you can reduce demand as well as looking at alternative supplies. That is why in my earlier comments on this question I made the case that the reduced use of gas would give us the greatest security. There are options in that. Similarly in affordability there are options: supports can be given or other measures can ensure the public is protected from price hikes and so on. The environmental imperative is by law, both Irish and European, cut and dried. We have to live within the climate targets that were set. We also have to meet our security and affordability measures, but there are a variety of options that will help us deliver on those.
Will the Minister set out the timeline for that ongoing analysis and for a decision? A clear indication from the energy security review is that we need this gas storage.
Separately but related, the Minister mentioned the Dermot McCarthy report. Will it be published and, if so, when? How will it be acted on by the Government?
We are in an unenviable position but while we are on the road to eliminating fossil fuels, it is not ideal that we have had to bring in diesel as a short-term measure to deal with our difficulties. I am interested to know, in the context of the McCarthy review into the failure of be able to deliver some of the planned facilities, whether we can see a pathway to more effective delivery of some of these large-scale projects, which are crucial to the transition, on the most cost-effective and environmentally sound basis? Is LNG storage in other European countries an option that is being considered?
The timeline, as I said earlier, is months and I hope it is within weeks. It will not be later this year, as I expect to be able to publish it in late spring or summer. I was expecting to publish the Dermot McCarthy report at the start of the year but it was decided, given that we were developing this further energy security analysis, that it would be better to publish his report in tandem with it. His report has been well received internally in the Department and the various agencies involved in it. It has provided a very useful measure.
With regard to Deputy Bruton's question on timelines and how we can accelerate, there are changes happening. Last year was the greatest expansion in renewables we have seen in our history. Last Thursday, for the first time, we could start to see solar power having an influence. Last Thursday afternoon, 10% of our power demand was provided by solar power. We are only at the very start of the roll-out of the significant new solar capacity we expect from the previous auctions and from coming auctions. It is starting to happen. The transitions are starting to take place.
As a further measure, to give an example of how sometimes we can act quickly, I met the company providing the new emergency generators for which the House legislated. We are on time, one year on from starting the process, to deliver that back-up capacity which we will need. We have not had an amber alert for the past six months thanks to some of the work being done. It is not impossible for us to get out of the energy security difficulties we were in and deliver the alternatives.
North-South Interconnector
Brendan Smith
Ceist:83. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in view of the inadequacy of the review of the proposed North-South interconnector carried out in 2018, given that it did not take into account the concerns of householders, farmers and communities in relation to a number of aspects of this proposed project, if he will ensure that the concerns of local communities will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19846/23]
As the Minister is well aware, there is outright opposition in communities in Monaghan, Cavan and Meath to the proposal to put overground the transmission cables for the proposed North-South interconnector. Over the years the Minister has heard me state that if the project is to go ahead those transmission cables should be put underground. The communities affected and the landowners have outlined very clearly their total opposition to the proposal as it stands. The reports undertaken to date have not been as comprehensive as they should be.
The overhead alternating current, AC, link between the Irish and Northern Irish electricity grids is a critical infrastructure project for the island of Ireland. It will be the backbone of a fit-for-purpose electricity system that will ensure energy security, allow more renewables to be used on the island, reduce the need to burn gas and coal, reduce electricity costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The AC overground backbone line effectively binds the two electricity grids. This will allow the grids to stabilise each other, providing instant support in the event of a power line or plant failing. It will provide system services and the sharing of renewable power. These benefits would otherwise have to be paid for by significant infrastructure, which would involve technical complexities, would cost the consumer more and would result in additional greenhouse gas emissions. Were a direct current, DC, underground cable to be used, these benefits would not accrue. These significant savings, estimated to be €80 million to €90 million per annum, are the main benefit of the project, which will allow shared resources, shared stability and a more robust and cost-effective electricity system. A DC link would not provide these benefits and, therefore, would not realise a truly all-Ireland grid.
The concerns of householders, farmers and communities have been fully considered and addressed at every stage of the development of the North-South interconnector. For example, the interconnector received planning permission in Ireland and Northern Ireland after the extensive public consultation that both jurisdictions require. Both EirGrid and ESB Networks have continued to engage with those living closest to the route of the interconnector since then.
The 2018 review referred to by the Deputy was an update by an international expert commission of its 2012 independent study to examine the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the North-South interconnector. The commission’s terms of reference for this update included consultation with the North East Pylon Pressure Campaign, the County Monaghan anti-pylon committee and other bodies deemed necessary. I am satisfied that the concerns of householders, farmers and communities have been and are being taken fully into account by EirGrid and ESB Networks and that the completed project will represent the best possible solution for all concerned.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I vehemently disagree with him that the views of communities, farmers and households have been taken into account in preparation for this project. This has not been the case. As the Minister knows better than I do, since this project was first initiated 16 years ago there have been great advances in technology which have enabled more undergrounding of similar transmission cables. We know there was a proposal to have overground cables in the Meath and Kildare project. Thankfully, from the point of view of the communities and people living in those areas, the project will be going ahead, I understand, with undergrounding of the transmission cables.
The international expert commission report of 2018 to which the Minister referred stated that overhead and underground options are both commercially viable. In various replies to parliamentary questions, it has been stated that the commission report referred to the overhead line being the most appropriate option. I do not see included in those replies to parliamentary questions the exact quotation from the report that both are commercially viable. The Department or EirGrid are not supplying the Minister with the proper information if they continue to say that communities, landowners and people living in the three counties have been properly consulted or listen to.
I absolutely accept Deputy Brendan Smith's interest and his clear commitment to representing his constituency and various views. This has been going on for longer than 16 years. If I recall, this project first came to my attention 20 years ago. We have been analysing the options for 20 years. There are always different commercial options but all of the analysis has been consistent and shows there would be a significant cost to the Irish consumer in going with an alternative approach underground, as Deputy Smith said, with a direct current connection.
More importantly to my mind, even if one were willing to put the cost on the people, it would not deliver us a fit-for-purpose and fit-for-the future electricity system for the people in the Border counties especially. For too long, we have really suffered from the division on this island, North and South, in our energy systems. This has a large cost and consequences. This new interconnector will provide a balancing capability across the Border, an instant response and an ability to make sure that we keep the lights on, keep the factories working and keep our competitiveness as a country. This strategic reason for the infrastructure is why I believe we must proceed.
In every engagement I have with individuals living in our counties, on a person-to-person basis or at public meetings, they all state they fully understand this is critical infrastructure. They say they are not against the project but they are against the project going ahead in the form of having overground transmission cables. In other countries in Europe, similar projects can be put underground. The Minister quite rightly said that for the past 20 years there have been great advances in technology. We have seen projects in our own country been put underground. Why are we different in Monaghan, Cavan and Meath to the rest of the country? We have certain rights also. None of the reports, including the report from 2018, took into account in their terms of reference the effects it would have on tourism, heritage, landowners and householders in the affected areas.
The reports that have been done have not been as comprehensive as they should be. That is the firm view of the communities I am glad to represent in this House over many years and I will continue to represent their views as strongly as I can.
The North-South interconnector project needs to be delivered and it is a matter of how we deliver it. A number of findings in the report are important. First, it says that VSC-HVDC is a viable option. Second, it is very critical of the cost-benefit analysis that has been conducted heretofore, specifically in the area of losses over the full life cycle of this project, not just the immediate upfront costs, and it talks about the need for a techno-economic comparison. We also need to look at this project in the context of a European super-grid, with which the Minister will be very familiar, and the compatibility of HVDC technology with that super-grid.
The Minister is here representing the Government. What does he believe the next steps in this project are? How does ESB Networks or anyone else intend to get on the lands of private property owners who are fundamentally opposed to this project proceeding as intended by the Minister?
The future for our country, our Continent and the wider world will be electrification, with electricity replacing fossil fuels. That is where the new economy and the industrial revolution are taking place, and that is central to our security, both economic and environmental. The characteristics of that new network will involve certain locations where there are high-speed, long-distance international transmission connections, and we are building those first as DC. However, it will also be critical for any country, any community and any region that it is also part of a balancing, alternating current, local grid electricity system that gives the capability to both bring in the various power supplies we have and provide power to households, businesses, farms and communities in a secure, safe and economic manner.
After 20 years of analysis, and after I do not know how many international reports looking at the options, each of which has come to the same conclusion, I believe it is time for us to progress this, in the interests of the community, particularly in the Border region, and of an all-island energy system. The key word here is that this is a “backbone”. It is not an insignificant piece of infrastructure. It is critical if this country is to have a functioning electricity system, one that can be balanced, repaired and restored and that delivers the secure electricity that we need for our future.
Questions Nos. 84 to 90, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.
Environmental Schemes
Thomas Gould
Ceist:91. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a person with stone wall cladding can access SEAI retrofitting grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19787/23]
I ask the Minister if a person with stone-wall cladding can access an SEAI retrofitting grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I appreciate the question. I do not have the answer from the Department to hand but I will commit to look at the option of such grants or support being provided for stone wall cladding. I look forward to receiving from the Deputy more specific details that might inform the approach we will take in delivering such a service to the Irish people.
I want to find out if there is a specific scheme to provide internal or external insulation for stone walls. I have been contacted by constituents who want to insulate their properties. Many of these properties are old and many of the people involved are older. We know the cost of heating these properties, given the cold and damp. People can put in all the windows and doors they want into these homes but if the walls are not insulated, the heat is just going out through them. Will the Minister give a commitment to ensure that a retrofitting grant is available? The big issue with trying to insulate these properties is the extremely high cost. I ask the Minister to support people. This is something we want to see done. We want to see homes insulated, we want to reduce energy usage and we want to have people in warmer and cleaner houses.
I thank Deputy Gould for asking the question, which I know he has raised previously in the House. My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Contractors operating under any scheme supported by an SEAI grant must carry out the works in line with the domestic technical standards and specifications, as well as best practice and technical guidance documents, including NSAI S.R. 54, the 2014 code of practice for the energy efficient retrofitting of dwellings.
The SEAI has informed my officials that there is no rule precluding homes with stone wall cladding from applying for grant support. Homeowners should engage with their contractor or one-stop shop to determine the appropriate type of energy upgrade for their home.
I understand that further guidelines are due to be published later this year with regard to more historic dwellings, which will help to inform and encourage homeowners with such buildings to be able to take energy efficiency measures.
Environmental Schemes
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:92. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of retrofits completed under the SEAI one-stop shop and warmer homes schemes in quarter 1 2023, and for the pre-BER, post-BER of completed projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19963/23]
I ask the Minister the number of retrofits completed under the SEAI one-stop shop and warmer homes schemes in quarter 1 of 2023, and for the building energy rating prior to and after completed projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The national retrofit plan sets out the Government's approach to achieving the climate action plan targets of upgrading the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a building energy rating, BER, of B2, the cost-optimal level, and installing 400,000 heat pumps to replace older, less efficient heating systems by 2030. To promote and incentivise the achievement of these targets, last year the Government approved a package of significantly enhanced supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades.
Following the introduction of the new measures in February last year, demand across the SEAI grant-supported schemes was exceptionally high. This has continued this year, with data from SEAI in quarter 1 of 2023 showing the following: across all schemes, 9,946 home energy upgrades have been completed; of these upgrades, 3,304 homes have been upgraded to a post-works BER of B2 or better; under the warmer homes scheme 946 fully funded home energy upgrades have been completed; and under the national home energy upgrade scheme 255 home energy upgrades were completed.
A more detailed quarterly report on the first quarter of this year will be published shortly by SEAI. A detailed overview of the SEAI 2022 performance against annual targets on the residential and community energy efficiency schemes can be found in its recently published quarterly report on the SEAI website. Data on pre and post-works building energy ratings for homes completed under the one-stop shop and warmer homes schemes in quarter 1 of 2023 will be provided separately to the Deputy.
What we are increasingly getting is a picture of a fundamental flaw in the Government’s approach to the national retrofitting plan. The Minister will have heard me previously welcome the funding and welcome the commitment, but what we see here is a two-track approach, and we see vulnerable people who are poor and live in cold homes being left behind. It is welcome that we are starting to collect the data in a way that we have not done before. However, for example, when I asked this question in regard to 2022, just 9% of the headline figure of 27,000 retrofits were actually to a B2 standard. The vast majority, under the warmer homes scheme, the free scheme for people who are poorer and in colder homes, are not getting close to the B2 standard - it is only a fraction. At the same time, those people who are starting from a better position in terms of the warmth of their home, but also their access to funding, are getting to that B2 standard.
We have a two-tier approach here. We need to shift the focus to lifting people out of energy poverty and into higher BER standards. We need new metrics.
I beg to differ with Deputy O'Rourke. I do not have the exact statistics in front of me.
I do.
I only saw them briefly yesterday but across each of the sectors in which the SEAI is working, we are seeing an incredible increase in demand for improvements to buildings, the introduction of solar energy and across every category. There has been an incredible level of growth, of up to 250%, in a whole variety of different cases. The absolute priority is to make sure that we deliver for those households most at risk. The warmer homes scheme, which represents a large percentage of our budget, targets those on the lowest incomes. The reality of what is happening is that we are ahead of our targets. Last year we were on target but in the first quarter of this year, there has been dramatic growth with no indication that is going to be reversed. If anything, with the provision of the additional apprenticeships, the significant job creation in this area and the scaling up of our capability, we are going to take off from here. There has been very significant growth compared with last year, which is very welcome.
The Minister said he disagrees with me and gave his response but that response does not deal with any of the issues I raised. There is demand there, of course, and I welcome that but the question is from whom is the demand and what works are being done. I have the figures in front of me. Of all of the works done under the warmer homes scheme, only 3% of households were lifted to a B2 standard. That tells me that the warmer homes scheme is doing something very entirely different to what the one-stop shop scheme is doing for people who have access to means and supports. I have made a statement of fact based on the evidence that I have in front of me, not looking at demand or at the amount of work that is being done. I am referring to the pre-work and post-work BER data and the amount of people who are being lifted out of, or not being lifted out of, energy poverty. That is just a statement of fact, borne out by the evidence and I implore the Minister to recognise that and to recalibrate, tweak or change the approach from the Government.
Does the Minister agree that Deputy O'Rourke is distorting the picture somewhat? The reality is that the one-stop shop scheme requires applicants to go to B2. People will not get those additional supports unless they go to B2. Would the Minister also agree that even if the warmer homes scheme does not deliver B2 ratings, very substantial reductions of between 60% and 70% in the fuel costs of households can be achieved for those most vulnerable families by some of the interventions? In the long term, the ideal is B2 but that is very expensive. I would rather see a lot of families helped to significantly reduce their fuel costs than striving for perfection for a very small group of people.
The Minister said that the onus here is not to leave people behind but that is what is happening. I will give the Minister another couple of facts and figures. There are 176,000 social housing units in the State. Approximately 36,000 of them are at a B2 standard or higher. Another 36,000 are to be done by 2030. This means that roughly 100,000 social housing units are being left behind. Social housing is for people who are on lower incomes, including older people and pensioners. Those 100,000 households are going to paying the carbon tax but will not be getting anything in return. We talk about fairness and equality but those who need their homes to be retrofitted the most, those who need their homes to be warmer and their energy costs to be reduced are losing out. As Deputy O'Rourke has said, the people who need support the most are not getting it.
The people who need it the most are getting it. That social housing, which Deputy O'Rourke did not mention in his statistics, is absolutely a key part of what we need to do as well. Those eligible for the warmer homes scheme get a 100% grant and in the first quarter of this year, 1,000 homes were significantly improved. That is not a small or insignificant development. The criticism here a year ago was that there was a backlog under the warmer homes scheme and that we were not closing out that backlog. The story being told now is of us actually delivering on our commitment to address that backlog, to go into the homes of those looking for improvements. It is real now and it is happening at scale. We have the ability to further ramp that up and to show that we can actually deliver. We now have the supply chain and the contractors in place. That was part of the problem a year ago. We did not know if we would be able to scale up, if we would have the industry here to deliver what is needed. What we are seeing now is that it is starting to happen at scale and at speed.
I agree that we need to get every home retrofitted and that we need to prioritise social housing and low-income households. Deputy O'Rourke also ignored another measure, the 80% grant for cavity and attic insulation. The numbers availing of that have taken off dramatically. While that will not get homes to a B2 rating, which is the target, I would prefer to have that work done with an 80% grant, as well as the 100% grant under the warmer homes scheme for those who cannot afford it. The economics of that works because those houses with better attic and wall insulation have lower fuel bills, thanks to us delivering on our commitments.
We will move on. The next question is No. 100 in the name of Deputy Bruton.
Questions Nos. 93 to 99, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.
Climate Action Plan
Richard Bruton
Ceist:100. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has considered the policy implications of the Economic and Social Research Institute assessment of the embodied emissions in Irish imports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19322/23]
I thank my constituency colleague in the Chair for her generosity.
This question refers to an interesting report, which I am sure the Minister has seen, from the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI. The authors showed that if we measured our consumption, including the vehicles we buy and the goods we import for buildings, our carbon footprint would be 75% higher than it is on the activity measure that is in conformity with Paris. I am interested to hear the Minister's view on the policy implications of this, particularly in areas like construction, travel and so on.
I note the ESRI’s assessment of the embodied emissions in Irish imports and welcome the insight it provides. While Ireland’s climate policy primarily focuses on reducing production-based emissions in line with national greenhouse gas inventories, it also considers the wider impacts of climate policy, including on consumption-based emissions. The 2023 climate action plan includes policies in cross-cutting and circular economy chapters, which will shape public procurement and the use of resources in our economy. Other policies which aim to target production-based emissions can also indirectly affect our carbon footprint, including for example, policies designed to stimulate demand for alternative construction materials with lower levels of embodied carbon.
A well-established circular economy provides more access to better-designed products, which can be shared, reused, repaired and remade, thereby minimising the use of resources. This provides opportunities for local jobs. It improves our economy, our environment and our health. The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 is a key step in Ireland’s transition to a circular economy. It provides a robust statutory framework for moving from a focus on managing waste to a focus on adapting patterns of production and consumption.
On 18 April 2023, the European Parliament adopted the carbon border adjustment mechanism, CBAM, which will apply carbon pricing to imports of certain goods into the EU to mirror the our emissions trading scheme, ETS, system. In addition to reducing carbon leakage and enabling a reduction in the free allocation of the ETS, the policy will incentivise emissions reductions in third countries. This will support Irish and EU industries facing carbon pricing and ensure that emissions are not simply reallocated to third countries. The ESRI's research is very important and backs up the points made by Deputy Bruton.
I invite the Minister to consider giving the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, a more prominent role in respect of promoting this sort of thinking within the climate plan. For example, the choice between a sports utility vehicle, SUV, which has 35 tonnes of embodied carbon, and a standard car, which has only 10 tonnes, can have a huge impact in the global context. Does the Minister agree that Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which has responsibility for much of our planning regulations, is dragging its feet on introducing new approaches that would see embodied carbon being more central to the way we design our buildings? There is huge scope here for making an impact and creating a better public understanding of the issues.
I absolutely commit to making sure that the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, expands and deepens his role in the delivery of the circular economy.
I will give a specific example of this in reality. It is subject to some controversy in the sense that I made a public comment in regard to Dublin Port last week. However, currently 35 million tonnes of material will be coming in and out of the port this year. Its expectation is that in the future we will move towards 77 million tonnes of imported and exported goods. The question I have on that is what we are going to be consuming at twice the current level in 18 years’ time. How could that possibly be in line with both European and Irish national ambition in regard to reducing the volume of materials we are using while still maintaining our wealth and prosperity as a people? I believe it is an alternative approach which sees a reduced volume of goods moving but increased provision of real welfare and wealth to our people. That is where smart modern economies are going. I use that as an example of a metric that we need to reconsider, the traditional model of ever-onward growth and consumption of materials as a measure of our success and to reduce using materials for greater prosperity for our people.
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