Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 May 2021
102. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the provisions his Department is making to introduce sustainable energy grants for persons embarking on new builds in order to ensure an equal playing field for everyone when looking to reduce carbon footprint and become more sustainable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29020/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department funds a number of grant schemes to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. These are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The SEAI residential retrofit schemes offer partial grants for individuals who can afford to contribute to the cost of upgrades as well as free energy efficiency improvements for people at risk of energy poverty. Since 2000, around 450,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes, representing nearly one home in four across the country. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier and cheaper to heat and light. Building Regulations have been progressively strengthened and new buildings must now meet very high energy performance standards to limit the use of fossil fuel energy and related CO2 emissions. There are options to meet this requirement for new build homes by including renewable technologies including heat pumps and/or solar PV. However, grants are not targeted at meeting compliance requirements of these Regulations.
Grant funding to improve energy performance is available for older homes built before 2006 and in the case of renewable energy measures for homes built before 2011 because these homes were not required to meet the improved Building Regulations. It is important to note that the grants available through SEAI aim to maximise emission reductions and deliver energy savings for the widest range of homeowners possible. The grants which are available, and their respective eligibility criteria, were selected as the most likely to deliver significant energy savings to homeowners as well as the best value for money for the Exchequer.
