Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 February 2022
218. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when he will announce details of a new home retrofit programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7373/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has recently announced a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills. The measures address barriers to undertaking energy upgrades (retrofits) reported by homeowners and those working in the industry. They also reflect the step-change needed – in pace and scale of delivery – to build toward achieving our ambitious target of 500,000 home energy upgrades, to B2 Building Energy Rating (BER) standard, in this decade.
The changes represent an important step in delivery of the National Retrofit Plan, which identifies a range of measures aimed at driving demand for retrofit, expanding the size and capacity of the supply chain, as well as making retrofits more affordable.
The key measures include:
- a new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme providing increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard (up from 30%-35% grants currently)
- One Stop Shops to offer a start-to-finish project management service, including access to financing, for home energy upgrades
- a significant increase in the number of free energy upgrades for those at risk of energy poverty (400 per month – up from an average of 177 per month in 2021)
- a special enhanced grant rate, equivalent to 80% of the typical cost, for attic and cavity wall insulation for all households, to urgently reduce energy use as part of the Government’s response to current exceptionally high energy prices
- an Exchequer investment of €8 billion to 2030 will enable the supply chain to scale up, creating thousands of high quality jobs and delivering on this critical national objective
The Schemes will be administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and all of the details are available on their website (seai.ie). The increased grant supports and the significant ramping up of free energy upgrades for those at risk of energy poverty is supported by ring-fenced funds from the carbon tax.
In addition, as announced as part of Budget 2022, €85 million funding has been provided by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the Local Authority Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme.
