I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 65 and 66 together.
The 2023 allocation compares to €244.2 million in funding in 2022 (allocation following the Supplementary Estimate in July) and equates to an increase of €93 million.
This overall allocation is the highest ever and means that the Warmer Homes Scheme, National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme, Better Energy Homes, Community Energy Grant Scheme and the Solar PV Scheme and Microgen will each have record budget allocations for 2023 to support homes, businesses, and community organisations including approved housing bodies, helping to protect them against energy cost increases into the future, while also reducing our emissions.
This investment will deliver over 37,000 home energy upgrades including over 13,800 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2 and 6,000 free upgrades under the SEAI energy poverty scheme.
In recent years, strong partnerships have been developed between the Approved Housing Bodies and the One Stop Shops under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme as well as with the Project Co-ordinators under the Community Energy Grant Scheme. I am confident that these partnerships will be maintained and further developed in 2023.
The delivery of the residential and community energy efficiency schemes will be considered as part of the SEAI business planning process for 2023 which will finalised before the end of this year.