Written Answers Nos. 960-962
960. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider including the blind pension and disability allowance as qualifying payments for entitlement to the warmer homes scheme in the same way as jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4557/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty. In 2019, €39.8 million was allocated to the Scheme with over 3,000 homes upgraded. An allocation of €52.8 million has been provided for the scheme; this represents the biggest ever budget for the Warmer Homes Scheme.
The Climate Action Plan commits to a review of the scheme which will include a decision on repeat upgrade visits as well as reviewing certain eligibility rules, approaches to compliance with new Building Regulations and how to best target those most in need. This review is nearing completion.
961. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he will take to implement the Climate Action Plan 2019; if his attention has been drawn to the considerable need to allow small generators to share or sell extra power generated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5214/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government's Climate Action Plan identifies how Ireland will achieve its 2030 climate targets and deliver a 35% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (or 3% per year on average). This puts us on a trajectory which would be consistent with net zero carbon emissions by 2050. A key part of the Plan is a move to 70% renewable electricity by 2030. The Climate Action Plan commits to actions to ensure that renewable self-consumers can sell excess electricity they produce back to the grid. Action 30 of the Climate Action Plan commits to the delivery of a framework for micro-generation from renewable technologies including solar photovoltaic (PV), micro-wind, micro-hydro and micro combined heat and power (CHP), whilst ensuring principles of equity, self-consumption and energy efficiency first are incorporated.
A Micro-Generation working group, chaired by my Department, is examining an enabling framework for micro- generation which tackles existing barriers and establishes suitable supports within relevant market segments. The proposed support mechanism will be outlined in a public consultation in 2020 and a suitable support payment for excess electricity generated on site and exported to the grid will be available to all micro-generators by 2021.
Under the EU Clean Energy package (CEP), Ireland will transpose the Internal Energy Markets Directive governing electricity market rules, which will allow for sharing of renewable energy in communities. In this regard the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a Roadmap for the Clean Energy Package’s Electricity and Renewables Directives in March this year which provides for a public consultation on the regulatory framework for prosumer development later this year. The document is available here:
https://www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CRU20043-Roadmap-for-the-Clean-Energy-Packages-Electricity-and-Renewables-Directives.pdf
962. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the availability and current operational status of the 112 SMS service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5467/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commission for Communications Regulation is responsible for hosting the 112.ie website. I understand from the Commission that there was a technical issue with the operation of the website in recent weeks which has now been rectified. Although not exclusively for persons with disabilities, the 112 SMS service enables persons, in particular those who may be deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired to send text messages to the Emergency Call Answering Service. Although users of the 112 SMS service are encouraged to pre-register with 112.ie, I understand that the technical issues arising with the website did not adversely affect the functionality of the 112 SMS messaging service and that any person with an Irish-registered phone who wished to use SMS to contact the ECAS could do so.
