Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 June 2022
157. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address an anomaly in the process of applying for a retrofitting grant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28557/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraEarlier this year, the Government approved a package of supports aimed at making it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills and lower emissions.
The supports included a new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme which offers increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump (up from the current level of 30-35%). Under the SEAI home energy upgrade schemes, the general principle applies whereby grant funding can only be issued once per measure per property.
However, under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme, a homeowner may be permitted to avail of a second grant for measure where it is recommended in the One Stop Shop Home Energy Assessment to achieve the B2 and heat pump target. In cases where the OSS determines through the Home Energy Assessment and Heat Loss Indicator assessment that a second wall insulation is required to meet the heat pump requirement, then grant support for a second measure is permitted as follows:
Internal Wall Insulation is eligible where cavity has previously been funded.
External wall insulation is eligible where either cavity or internal wall insulation has been funded.
In addition, as part of the package of supports approved by Government, reforms have also been made to the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme whereby applications may now be accepted from qualifying homeowners who previously received supports under the Scheme, but who could still benefit from deeper upgrade measures (revisits). This means that homeowners of properties built and occupied before January 1993 and have a pre-works BER of E, F or G will not be precluded from applying for a second time for qualifying works not previously carried out on their properties.
