Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 April 2022
12. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated additional cost of providing free insulation to all households that need it, over and above the funding already committed to; and the estimated additional cost of providing free deep retrofits to all households that need it over and above the funding already committed to. [18728/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings by the end of 2030. These targets represent a very significant increase in both the volume and depth of retrofit activity in Ireland. The National Development and National Retrofit Plans have ring-fenced €8 billion to support the achievement of this objective. This will be supplemented by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage budget for retrofitting 36,500 local authority homes. My Department is also working to secure EU funding for retrofit and developing a low-cost loan scheme to support retrofit.
The Government recently approved a package of enhanced 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 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 hassle-free, 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 under the Warmer Homes Scheme (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 and cost as part of the Government’s response to current exceptionally high energy prices
These measures will significantly contribute towards the achievement of the retrofit targets.
