Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016
614. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the grant schemes that are available through his Department or organisations funded by his Department for persons who live in houses and need improvement works carried out to improve the heating and insulation in their houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30523/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates a number of grant schemes on behalf of my Department that help people to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. As of the end of September 2016, these grant schemes have supported the upgrade of 327,504 homes in Ireland.
There are three key schemes and one pilot measure that are currently available to households:
- The Better Energy Homes scheme provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar thermal panels and accompanying Building Energy Rating (BER).
- The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty, who meet the eligibility criteria. The measures available include draught proofing, attic insulation, lagging jackets for hot water tanks, low energy light bulbs and cavity wall insulation.
- The Better Energy Communities scheme supports community-based partnerships to improve the energy efficiency of a range of homes, businesses and community facilities in a local area. This year's scheme will provide for energy efficiency upgrades to more than 2,600 homes and almost 300 community and commercial facilities.
- Under the Warmth and Wellbeing pilot scheme healthcare professionals can refer patients living in Dublin 12 or 24 to SEAI for energy efficiency treatments in the similar manner to other medical treatments. A household is eligible to receive intervention if a person in the household aged over 55 is suffering from asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and if a member of the household is in receipt of the Fuel Allowance. This pilot scheme aims to demonstrate that energy efficiency improvements to the home can have a positive effect on health and wellbeing.
I have secured increased funding for these programmes for 2017 in the Estimates. With these resources, I anticipate that up to 30,000 more homes will receive energy efficiency upgrades in 2017, supporting some 3,000 jobs in the construction sector. Full details of all the schemes administered by SEAI are available from their website http://www.seai.ie/ or Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Wilton Park House, Wilton Park, Dublin, D02 T228.
