Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2020
142. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the retrofitting schemes presently available for old houses and following budget 2021; the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31224/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe SEAI operates a number of energy efficiency upgrade schemes on behalf of my Department. These schemes include partial grants for individuals that can afford to contribute to the cost of upgrades as well as schemes that provide free energy efficiency improvements for people who are in receipt of certain welfare payments. Information on the grant levels available by scheme is available from the SEAI on 1850 250 204 or their website at https://www.seai.ie/grants/.
The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, including our homes, with targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal equivalent and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years.
SEAI grant schemes will be a central element of the Government’s approach to achieving our national retrofit targets. Budget 2021 provided €221.5 million in capital funding for residential and community retrofit programmes next year to be funded by my Department through the SEAI. This represents an additional €100 million, or 82% increase, on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever in the budget for the schemes. A further €65 million has been provided for retrofitting the social housing stock through the Vote of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Of the €221.5 million allocated to my Department:
- €109 million is allocated to provide free upgrades for lower income households;
- €112.5 million will be spent on expanding existing SEAI grant schemes and introducing new schemes, including
- The National Retrofit Scheme (B2 package scheme) which will facilitate the deeper renovation of homes to BER B2. A second strand of the National Retrofit Scheme will support One-Stop-Shops, Residential Service Providers, Employers, Financial Institutions, registered Housing Associations and Local Authorities who wish to participate in delivering energy efficiency upgrades to homes. The first call for projects under this scheme was launched on 25 September;
- A new Heat Pump Ready Homes Scheme targeting homes that are suitable for the installation of heat pumps with grant incentives;
- A new Community Activation scheme focused on supporting small-scale, capacity-building projects, pilots and feasibility studies and in particular supporting Sustainable Energy Communities.
It is estimated that next year, in total, SEAI residential and community schemes will deliver over 29,000 retrofits including approximately 8,000 to a B2 level and support over 8,500 direct and indirect jobs.
