Energy Conservation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 January 2019

Tuesday, 15 January 2019

Ceisteanna (865, 866, 871)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

865. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the home energy grants under the auspices of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland by county (details supplied); the action he will take to increase the uptake of home energy grants in the Dublin region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54264/18]

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

866. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of applications in relation to home energy grants administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland by county in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the number refused, accepted and appealed, respectively in each of the years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54265/18]

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

871. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details of home energy upgrades by each of the four Dublin local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54387/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

I propose to take Questions Nos. 865, 866 and 871 together.

The home energy grants administered by the SEAI are funded by my Department. The majority of these grants are available to homeowners whose properties were built before 2006. Since the introduction of these grants nearly 400,000 homes across the country have received an energy efficiency upgrade, representing nearly one home in five across the country.

Better Energy Homes provides a financial incentive (typically covering 30% of the cost of works) to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes.

The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme provides a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty who meet the defined eligibility criteria.

Better Energy Communities supports energy efficiency upgrades to mixed projects of homes, community facilities and businesses in a local community. This scheme provided funding of €20m in 2018 to 37 projects across the country, upgrading 1,189 homes and 454 community buildings.

The Warmth and Wellbeing Scheme is a joint energy, social and health policy initiative aimed at validating the health impacts of improved energy efficiency in a home. The pilot scheme was established in HSE Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) 7, specifically in Dublin 8, 10, 12, 22 & 24.

The Deep Retrofit Pilot Scheme launched in 2017 is available to homeowners who want to upgrade their house to an A BER while availing of grant support of up to 50%.

The following table presents the number of homes upgraded and the investment made per county under these schemes in 2018.

	BE Homes		BE Warmer Homes		W&W		Deep
Home Energy Grants 2018	No. of Homes Completed	Amount Paid (€)	Homes	€	Homes	€m	Homes	€m
Carlow	75	86,750	63	284,919			0
Cavan	142	157,750	173	851,023			0
Clare	179	247,025	147	656,465			2
Cork	1719	2,032,533	506	3,219,158			4
Donegal	91	161,150	587	2,952,720			16
Dublin	4360	5,984,299	831	6,571,892	455	12.26	45
Galway	688	714,975	242	1,346,008			6
Kerry	352	683,769	329	2,240,881			2
Kildare	881	883,550	167	900,981			3
Kilkenny	90	148,700	73	355,177			3
Laois	169	151,050	95	491,646			1
Leitrim	32	36,700	58	387,621			0
Limerick	548	757,207	160	862,130			6
Longford	56	57,000	72	302,427			0
Louth	1221	987,536	139	618,487			1
Mayo	265	452,800	214	1,102,689			64
Meath	1776	1,513,550	124	877,094			1
Monaghan	41	45,950	100	425,840			0
Offaly	112	162,900	90	444,022			0
Roscommon	90	103,500	116	769,398			0
Sligo	58	106,350	105	576,251			0
Tipperary	220	316,850	144	931,468			26
Waterford	238	325,940	117	1,083,426			11
Westmeath	126	139,515	140	725,098			1
Wexford	371	328,850	317	2,058,636			17
Wicklow	322	509,650	113	810,279			2
Total	14,222	17,095,849	5,222	31,845,736	455	12.26	211	4.72

A number of actions are already underway to encourage uptake of home energy grants by homeowners. For example, the Better Energy Homes Scheme was expanded in 2018 to support the transition away from fossil fuels, and achieve greater energy savings and emissions reductions, by introducing a new grant for heat pumps and increasing the grant amount available for all other measures. More information can be found on https://www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/ In addition, the Better Energy Warmer Homes was expanded in 2018 to include internal and external wall insulation which allows more people to avail of the scheme while also increasing the energy savings and emissions reductions.

The following table sets out the number of applications, completed and cancelled, per county under the Better Energy homes grant scheme. The number of appealed applications is not captured separately as these applications go on to become either completed or cancelled. Applications can be cancelled either by SEAI due to ineligibility or by the homeowner if they change their mind about getting work done.

	2016		2017		2018
	Completed	*Cancelled	Completed	*Cancelled	Completed	*Cancelled
Carlow	140	6	158	6	75	13
Cavan	184	12	134	12	142	12
Clare	294	19	297	28	179	22
Cork	2,112	151	1,765	200	1,719	101
Donegal	155	19	157	18	91	27
Dublin	4,637	239	4,791	278	4,360	330
Galway	766	70	811	65	688	68
Kerry	412	35	373	29	352	48
Kildare	634	35	751	51	881	56
Kilkenny	218	15	123	21	90	14
Laois	260	12	230	19	169	24
Leitrim	39	6	46	4	32	5
Limerick	995	43	965	41	548	48
Longford	34	2	109	5	56	17
Louth	486	32	538	27	1,221	43
Mayo	415	30	386	34	265	32
Meath	620	42	605	32	1,776	62
Monaghan	79	3	73	6	41	4
Offaly	153	24	181	7	112	14
Roscommon	164	10	120	6	90	10
Sligo	120	7	108	20	58	8
Tipperary	491	29	378	23	220	21
Waterford	413	21	328	28	238	17
Westmeath	247	17	211	25	126	10
Wexford	503	20	480	27	371	28
Wicklow	402	25	500	20	322	17
Total	14,973	924	14,618	1,032	14,222	1,051

The Deputy has also asked about homes upgraded in each of the four Dublin local authorities. Local authorities are responsible for maintenance and upgrade of their housing stock and my Department therefore does not keep a record of these upgrades. Government funding of approximately €116 million has been provided by the Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government, from 2013 to the end of 2017 to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in almost 64,000 local authority homes. This was Phase 1 of the social housing retrofit programme and focused on the lower-cost improvements such as cavity wall and attic insulation. In addition, energy efficiency measures have been carried out in over 9,000 vacant houses that have been returned to use since 2014. This effectively means that approximately 50% of the social housing stock has already undergone a level of energy retrofit. Phase 2 will commence shortly and will target higher-cost and higher impact measures such as external insulation and replacement of single-glazed windows. Approximately 30% of the social housing stock, or 40,000 homes are more than 40 years old and will be the main priority for phase 2. The ambition is to achieve a BER B standard for these homes. The timeline will be determined by the funding available over the coming years.