I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.
Improving the energy efficiency of our homes and reducing their carbon emissions is a key priority. €5 billion in carbon tax receipts will be invested by my Department to support the achievement of our national targets which are to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal or carbon equivalent and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes by 2030.
The number of homes fitted with a heat pump by year since 2011 is set out in the table below (based on Grant Schemes and Building Energy Rating (BER) data available to SEAI).
Table 1: Number of homes in Ireland fitted with heat pumps to date*
table
An estimate of the number of heat pumps to be retrofitted in the coming years will be included in the forthcoming National Retrofit Plan.