Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2018
1023. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the plans in place to allocate funding to local authorities to replace storage heating systems in social housing which are not fit for purpose. [12019/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 58 of the Housing Act 1966 provides that the management and maintenance of local authority housing stock is a matter for each individual local authority. This includes the achievement of energy efficiency, the implementation of planned maintenance programmes and carrying out of responsive repairs and pre-letting repairs.
My Department operates certain funding programmes to support local authorities in the development and improvement of social housing, including improving energy efficiency. Over the years 2004 to 2009, this included support for local authorities to carry out an extensive central heating upgrade programme in social housing, which saw the installation of central heating, and associated energy efficiency measures, in 27,750 such dwellings, at a cost to the exchequer of €140 million. My Department is not currently operating any programme to install heating systems in existing social houses.
Local authorities are currently undertaking an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting, with the support of my Department, on the least energy efficient social homes. Funding of some €115.7 million has been provided from 2013 to end-2017 to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in almost 64,000 local authority homes, benefitting those at risk of fuel poverty and making a significant contribution to Ireland’s carbon emissions reduction targets and energy reduction targets for 2020.
The insulation retrofitting programme is being implemented in a number of phases. Phase 1 commenced in 2013 and is focused on providing attic/roof insulation and the less intrusive cavity wall insulation in all relevant properties. Phase 2 of the programme, which has been piloted in both Fingal and Westmeath County Councils, will focus on the external fabric upgrade of those social housing units with solid/hollow block wall construction. Heating upgrades will be considered in future phases of the Programme.
In 2018, the main focus of the available funding for the Programme will be on the completion of the remaining Phase 1 works and formally rolling out Phase 2. My Department will, shortly, be asking local authorities to submit details of their work proposals and related funding requirements for the Programme in 2018.
