Written Answers Nos. 174-205
174. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total spend by his Department and the agencies under his remit on cybersecurity measures since 2019 to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51171/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), located within my Department, is the government’s operational unit for network and information security and acts as a central contact point in the event of a government or nationwide cyber-security incident affecting the State. It serves a constituency made up of organisations from the Irish Government and many of the Critical National Infrastructure providers from key sectors such as energy, transport and health. It engages in a comprehensive set of tasks around cyber-security, with a primary focus on securing government networks and securing Critical National Infrastructure. It encompasses the State’s National/Governmental Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE).
The non-pay, current and capital expenditures from 2019 to date are presented in the table below:
|
Year |
NCSC Spend |
|
2019 |
€1,529,000 |
|
2020 |
€1,576,000 |
|
2021 |
€1,813,000 |
|
2022 (to date) |
€634,602 |
The budget for the NCSC was increased substantially in 2022, with a further €2.5 million allocated across current and capital funding. The current expenditure outturn for year-end 2022 is projected to be at least €1,877,450. It is important to highlight that a substantial proportion of the costs related to the NCSC's interim facility - which is nearing completion - have been borne by the Office of Public Works and paid from Vote 13. This will lead to a projected underspend on the capital allocation for the NCSC. I will seek approval from the Oireachtas for this unspent funding to be reallocated to other priority investment areas in my Department's Vote. The Government has approved a further increase of €7.35 million in the budget allocation for the NCSC in the 2023 Estimates to support the implementation of the NCSC's technology strategy as well as new measures which will arise from the Mid-Term Review of the National Cyber Security Strategy, both of which are currently being prepared. This is broken down into an increase of €3m for current, and €2.85m for capital.
In addition to the spend of the NCSC on cybersecurity measures my Department, and the agencies under the DECC remit, invest in the security of our own network and systems. With respect to the expenditure by my Department on cyber security, The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. It is being collated and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The information requested in relation to the agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each agency.The Department will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisations.
175. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the proportion of his Department’s IT data that is stored in the cloud; the proportion of the data held by all agencies and subsidiaries of his Department in the cloud; if this represents an improvement; if so, the development that has been made towards cloud storage since 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51195/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraA large proportion of the data held by my Department is currently stored on equipment owned and controlled by my Department. Data is stored on external cloud services where there are good business reasons for doing so, principally to allow easier sharing of that data with other parties. In 2020, my Department purchased Microsoft 365 licenses to allow cloud collaboration for staff utilising software such as Office, OneDrive, Teams and Sharepoint in the cloud. Currently we have 6.1K files (95 Gigabytes) stored in OneDrive and 4.4K files (15.1 Gigabytes) stored in Sharepoint online. The Department also utilises ESRI's web-based mapping software ArcGIS Online (AGOL) to partially store data in the cloud on ArcGIS Online, a cloud based WebGIS instance by way of hosted services of DECC and GSI collectively. DECC data is stored on a US Data Cloud Store (dcenr.maps.arcgis.com); GSI data is on European Cloud Store (geodata-gov-ie.maps.arcgis.com/). Collectively for these two instances there is 40GB of data stored on Cloud Storage. There is no personal or sensitive information contained within these servers. All other data is stored and maintained on Departmental SAN (Storage Area Network) storage.
As the economic, security and governance issues associated with cloud storage evolve, my Department will continue to evaluate the relative merits of cloud and on-premises storage of data when making data storage decisions.
176. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in addition to the Climate Action Plans if his Department will publish a long-term climate action plan which focuses on post-2030 targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51214/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department contracted technical support and input from a range of bodies and organisations to support and inform the preparation of a Long-term Climate Action Strategy (LTS) in 2019, in line with the then climate ambition set out in Ireland’s Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. This included analysis on potential decarbonisation pathways. However, with the Programme for Government commitment to substantially increase our climate ambition, including our 2050 objective, submission of Ireland’s draft LTS to the European Commission was paused to ensure it fully aligned with our enhanced climate ambition. While preparing the LTS, we are ensuring that the ambition aligns with our national climate targets, as well as making a strong contribution to the overall EU ambition of achieving climate neutrality no later than 2050, and achieving an interim reduction in overall EU greenhouse gas emissions of 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Similarly, the LTS will support our commitment to the international objective of limiting global warming to 1.5°C relative to pre-industrial levels, as established under the Paris Climate Agreement, and reaffirmed in the Glasgow Climate Pact. The finalised LTS, which also takes account of the recently approved sectoral ceilings, will be submitted to the European Commission in the coming weeks.
177. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the names of all special advisors working in his Department; the Minister and Junior Minister who each advisor is associated with and their respective salaries, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51254/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the deputy is outlined in the table below:
|
Name |
Position |
Current Salary Scale |
|
Paul Kenny |
Policy Adviser to Minister Ryan |
Principal Officer PPC - Point 5 |
|
John McDonald |
Policy Adviser to Minister Ryan |
Principal Officer PPC - Point 3 |
|
Edel Hackett |
Press Adviser to Minister Ryan |
Principal Officer PPC - Point 1 |
There are no advisors appointed by Minister Smyth to this Department.
The 3 advisors referenced above work across the portfolio of both this Department as well as that of the Department of Transport. As the payment is through the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, all are included in this response.
All payments are made in line with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Ministerial Appointments and expenses circular and guidelines.
178. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the supports that are available for community facilities looking to replace a boiler (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51271/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Communities Energy Grant Scheme is part of the Government's National Retrofit Programme aimed at upgrading building stock and facilities to high standards of energy efficiency and renewable energy usage, thereby reducing fossil fuel usage, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
The Scheme supports cross-sectoral and community-oriented partnership approaches that deliver energy savings to a range of building types including public, commercial and community buildings with a particular focus on using the projects to deliver home retrofits.
The Scheme provides funding for a range of improvements to existing buildings. These include the installation of insulation, heat pump systems upgrades to replace fossil fuel boilers, replacement windows/doors, solar Photo-Voltaic technology, energy-efficient lighting, and energy monitors, as well as other energy upgrades.
Demand for the CEG Scheme has been very strong since the launch of this year’s Call for Projects in March. To date, 14 contracts with a grant value of over €35million have been issued by the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) and a further 12 applications are currently under evaluation within the SEAI. All of which points to a strong pipeline of works under the scheme for the remainder of this year and into 2023.
Under this year’s guidelines for the Scheme, contracts for works are extended to 12 months. This will better support year-round delivery of services and allow for more complex projects. The Communities Grant Scheme guidelines were published in March 2022 and can be found at the following link: www.seai.ie/grants/community-grants/project-criteria-and-funding/Communities-Grant-Guidelines-2022.pdf.
179. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason that pensioners of an organisation (details supplied) and An Post who were civil servants prior to the vesting of these two state companies on 1 January 1984 under the Postal and Telecommunications Act 1983, are treated differently in their pension benefits; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the An Post pensioners in question believe that the benefits-guarantee given to them in section 42 of that Act has not been complied with by An Post; if he accepts that the An Post superannuation scheme as amended in 2013 is out of line with public service pension's policy generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51302/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder section 46 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, approves any superannuation schemes submitted by An Post. The operation of the schemes is a matter between the management of An Post, staff representatives and the trustees of the schemes. I have asked An Post to correspond directly with the Deputy on this matter.
180. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide update on progress made towards transposing article 2 (15) of the Directive (EU) 2019/944 regarding dynamic electricity price contracts. [51303/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra181. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update regarding which of the following articles of Directive (EU) 2019/944 remain to be transposed; and if he will outline the financial penalties that have been imposed, if any, in tabular form. [51304/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together. I propose to answer question no’s 180 and 181 together.
Transposition of Directive (EU) 2019/944 into Irish law is complete. Article 2(15) is transposed via Regulation 2(1) of SI 20/2022.
No financial penalties have been imposed.
Implementation of Directive (EU) 2019/944 is principally a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, which was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity and gas markets following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA), 1999
182. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of attics that would have been insulated by 2021 assuming that the rate of attic insulation would have continued at the rate seen in 2011 and been maintained in each subsequent year. [51306/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra183. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of attics that remain to be insulated. [51307/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 183 together. 182 and No. 183 together,The Climate Action Plan set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector from 7 Mt CO2 eq. in 2018 to between 3.5-4.5 Mt CO2 eq. in 2030.Recognising that the achievement of this target will require a step-change in the pace and scale of delivery Ireland’s residential retrofit programme, earlier this year the Government approved 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.One of the key measures included a special enhanced grant rate, equivalent to up 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 very high energy prices. To date this year, applications for attic and cavity insulations have tripled compared with last year, on foot of this initiative. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) have confirmed that, in 2011 approximately 36,000 homes had attic insulation installed under the Better Energy Homes Scheme.
The SEAI estimates that there could be of the order of 500,000 homes that have attic insulation with a thickness of less than 120mm (4-5 inches) of mineral wool that could benefit from additional attic insulation .
184. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of heating systems upgrades installed broken down by heat source including but not limited to oil, gas, electric heat pump and so on for the warmer homes scheme for the year to date in 2022, in tabular form. [51308/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme has delivered 3,068 home energy upgrades to the end of September 2022. Upgrades under the scheme can involve shallow, deep or deep heat works. To date this year, approximately 29% of homes under the Scheme have received heating upgrades with SEAI advising that 861 boilers and 21 heat pumps were installed under the Warmer Homes Scheme.Data in relation to the type of heating system upgrades under the Warmer Homes scheme is not routinely reported by SEAI and data is not readily available that differentiates between oil and gas boilers.
185. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will introduce a grant towards the purchase of battery units for solar panels, which provide electricity at night-time and create the opportunity to sell excess solar electricity to the national grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51322/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe phased introduction of the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) has already begun with the commencement of the MSS domestic solar PV grant on 16 February last and the extension of capital grants for non-domestic installations up to 6 kWe in September. Grant levels for both are up to a maximum of €2,400 and are available through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). In relation to grants specifically for battery units purchased with Solar PV systems, the SEAI undertook an assessment of incorporating stand-alone battery grants into the new MSS Solar PV Grants and found that with the current high cost of batteries, coupled with their low storage capabilities of only a few hours and their relatively short lifetime (currently in the region of 10 years); that a stand-alone battery grant did not represent efficient use of Exchequer funds. It should be noted that micro-generation installations including battery storage systems are still eligible for grant support under the MSS but there is now no need to install a battery to avail of the maximum grant. Moreover, maximising the consumption of self-generated electricity by installing a micro-generation system to meet the demand profile of your home or business, where possible, will provide the most benefit to offset rising electricity costs. Furthermore, with the introduction of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), any residual renewable electricity not consumed on the premises is now eligible for an export payment which further supports the investment. While the very strong level of interest in grants offered under the MSS indicates that the scheme is working well, its operation and effectiveness will, like all such schemes, be kept under review and adjustments made where necessary.
186. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of companies currently acting as one-stop-shops for retrofitting of homes under the Government’s energy upgrade scheme; the criteria that must be met by a company to obtain such a status; if he expects their numbers to increase in the near future; if he will allow more smaller private contractors to get involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51323/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra187. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the current expected waiting time for a home to avail of a deep retrofit under the national home energy upgrade scheme, by county; the main causes of delays in homes being able to avail of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51324/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra188. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the current average cost of a deep retrofit under the national home energy upgrade scheme; if he intends to further increase grant-aid to counter the rapidly rising costs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51325/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra189. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of applications that have been received to date for grant-aid towards deep retrofitting of homes, by county; the number of grants that have been paid to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51326/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 186, 187, 188 and 189 together. In February this year, Government approved the establishment of the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (NHEUS) Scheme providing increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard. This Scheme introduces a new, highly customer centric, way to undertake home upgrades.
Following Government approval, the SEAI registration portal opened for companies to apply to be a One-Stop-Shop (OSS), building on the preparatory work already undertaken. SEAI are focused on engaging organisations capable of professionally managing all aspects of a One Stop Shop service. Therefore, the registration process, for this new service, must be robust. The new Scheme is also grounded in robust governance and oversight processes to ensure the OSSs are meeting the necessary customer and quality performance indicators.
There are 12 OSSs registered and SEAI is supporting another 10 organisations through the registration process. The SEAI expects to have 15 registered OSSs offering whole house retrofits by the end of this year. SEAI registered One-Stop-Shops provide an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying; designing the upgrades; managing the grant process; helping with access to finance; engaging contractors; and quality assurance.
The cost of deep retrofit works to bring an individual home to a Building Energy Rating (BER) B2 is determined by a number of factors including the size and type of home as well as the starting condition of the home. The types of works applied for and the grant support available under the Scheme are informed by the Home Energy Assessment undertaken by the OSS.
Recent figures from the SEAI estimates that the cost of an OSS deep home retrofit ranges from €12,600 to €79,000 with a reported average total cost figure of €29,000 for completed works to date. While the average OSS home energy grant offer is €20,500. However, it is important to note that these averages may fluctuate depending on the applications submitted to the SEAI.
Applications for grant funding under the NHEUS take the form of a two-step process where the OSS apply on behalf of the homeowner for (1) a Home Energy Assessment grant and/ or and (2) a Home Energy Upgrade works grant for eligible measures required to bring the home to a B2 BER or better and achieve a primary energy uplift of 100 kWh/m²/yr.
The OSS is required to secure the consent of the homeowner before applying for a HEA or NHEUS grant. The HEA and the associated grant being separate to the home energy upgrade supports, means that the OSS will enter into separate contracts with homeowners at the two points of the process. These contracts will respectively provide that the OSS (i) complete the Home Energy Assessment within 12 months from the date the HEA grant offer issues and (ii) complete all home energy upgrade works associated with a property within 12 months of date of the grant offer.
Most recent figures from SEAI show that 681 homes have been approved for OSS home energy upgrades. The breakdown of this figure on a county basis can be found in the below table. This points to a strong pipeline of works for the coming months under the scheme. To date, energy upgrade works have been completed and paid for 89 homes.
Applications approved for deep home retrofit SEAI grant-aid under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (One-Stop-Shops)
|
County |
|
County |
||
|
Co. Carlow |
35 |
Co. Longford |
6 |
|
|
Co. Cavan |
65 |
Co. Louth |
7 |
|
|
Co. Clare |
9 |
Co. Mayo |
8 |
|
|
Co. Cork |
82 |
Co. Meath |
9 |
|
|
Co. Donegal |
62 |
Co. Monaghan |
15 |
|
|
Co. Dublin |
118 |
Co. Offaly |
3 |
|
|
Co. Galway |
72 |
Co. Roscommon |
5 |
|
|
Co. Kerry |
20 |
Co. Sligo |
59 |
|
|
Co. Kildare |
11 |
Co. Tipperary |
39 |
|
|
Co. Kilkenny |
1 |
Co. Waterford |
14 |
|
|
Co. Laois |
3 |
Co. Westmeath |
5 |
|
|
Co. Leitrim |
0 |
|
Co. Wexford |
7 |
|
Co. Limerick |
18 |
Co. Wicklow |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
681 |
190. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a grant will be provided for the installation of wood pellet stoves in residential properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51345/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 commits Ireland to reach a legally binding target of net-zero emissions no later than 2050, and a cut of 51% by 2030 (compared to 2018 levels). The Climate Action Plan set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector from 7 Mt CO2 eq. in 2018 to between 3.5-4.5 Mt CO2 eq. in 2030.
The Programme for Government and Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal or carbon equivalent and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end-2030. This represents approximately 30% of the housing stock and is among the most ambitious retrofit programmes worldwide.
Recognising that the achievement of these targets will require a step-change in the pace and scale of delivery Ireland’s residential retrofit programme, earlier this year the Government has approved 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 key measures include:
- A new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme providing increased grant levels of up to 50% (up from 30%-35%) of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard.
- Significantly increasing the number of free energy upgrades for those at risk of energy poverty, up to 400 per month 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.
To support the overarching policy objectives, the grant rates to homeowners are focused towards those measures which will be most effective in reducing energy use and reducing carbon emissions. Therefore, grant supports for wood pellet stoves will not be available under the SEAI residential energy upgrade schemes.
191. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will devise an alternative process other than the MRPN system for those on sub meters to access the electricity grants to ensure that those who are already struggling do not fall into energy poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51424/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra192. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if an elderly person living in a rental accommodation scheme flat that has a coin meter and no separate MPRN number from the main building would be eligible for €600 electricity credits; the way in which they could apply in order that they could also benefit from the credit allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51446/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra193. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the €600 energy credit in Budget 2023 can be used towards a person's gas bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51453/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Question numbers 191, 192 and 193 together.Government is acutely aware of the impact that the recent increases in global energy prices is having on households. This is why a €2.4 billion package of supports was implemented during 2022, and a package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion included in Budget 2023. The Budget package includes a new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €550.47 (exclusive of VAT) will be credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €183.49 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - November/December 2022, January/February 2023 and March/April 2023. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.211 billion and will be provided to my Department through a Supplementary Estimate.The payment will be applied to domestic electricity accounts, including those with Pay As You Go meters, which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2). The scheme uses the single identifier of the Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN) to ensure it can be administered automatically and without an application/approval process. This mechanism allowed payments to be made automatically to 2,138,939 domestic electricity accounts, over 99.36% of eligible accounts, under the first scheme which operated between April and June of this year.
It is not being applied to domestic gas accounts on the basis that it is intended to be a universal support. Not all consumers use gas but electricity is supplied to all households. While the majority of residential tenants will hold their own domestic electricity accounts, and therefore receive the credit directly, others could have tenancy agreements where tenants pay their actual share of each bill and, in those cases, will benefit from the payment because the amount of the bill will be reduced by the amount of the payment. A small proportion could have other arrangements in place whereby electricity costs are part of the rental cost. Where tenants have a dispute relating to tenancies including any terms relating to electricity payments, these can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for dispute resolution. As there is not data set identifying this cohort, increasing awareness of entitlements of existing social protection measures, which include provision for help with household bills, is an important way of supporting people in this situation.Along with the Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme Budget 2023 also introduced measures including:
- €400 lump sum payment to Fuel Allowance recipients- €200 lump sum payment for pensioners and people with a disability getting the Living Alone Increase- €500 cost of living lump sum payment to all families getting Working Family Payment- double payment of Child Benefit to support all families with children- €500 cost of living payment for people receiving Carer's Support Grant will be paid in November- €500 lump sum cost of living disability support grant will be paid to all people receiving a long term disability paymentThe CRU has a dedicated email address for deputies to contact them oireachtas@cru.ie for timely replies.
194. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason that it took so long for his Department to act in relation to REPowerEU earlier in 2022; the reason that he did not seek consultation from Gas Networks Ireland immediately on receipt of correspondence from the European Commission and instead, according to reports, waiting until three quarters of the application time was up to commence consultations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51457/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra195. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the impact that the failure to make an application for funding made available by the European Commission under its REPowerEU initiative to help combat the energy crisis owing to the Ukrainian war is going to have on the Government’s ability to help households for the duration of this crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51458/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra196. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason for not making an application for the funding that was made available by the European Commission under REPowerEU to help combat the energy crisis as a result of the Ukrainian war; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51459/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra197. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline the requirement as referred to by his Department and the details of the European Union legislation which his Department claims is required to provide for funding under REPowerEU; the way in which this would prevent funding to the State, particularly in light of reports that such legislation is not required for either the biomethane or liquefied natural gas strands of REPowerEU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51460/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra213. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the maximum amount that was available to the State to apply for; and the reason that there was no application for the biomethane section of REPowerEU that has a budget of €35 billion. [51962/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Question Nos. 194, 195, 196, 197 and 213 together.
The REPowerEU plan, which was published in May of this year, sets out a range of actions that can be taken at EU and Member State level. While the REPowerEU plan provides the potential for funding via the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the European legislation necessary to provide for such funding is not expected to come into force until early next year. At that point Ireland could amend its National Recovery and Resilience Plan to include any additional funding that may be available.
At this point, it is not clear how much funding may be available to Ireland or what proportions of such funding would be grants or loans. My Department is considering potential proposals for funding under this mechanism with the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform.
To date, my Department has not received correspondence from the European Commission inviting applications for funding in relation to REPowerEU. My Department did receive a questionnaire focussing on “Gas supply: Immediate term preparedness”. In preparing a response for this questionnaire, much of the information requested was already available in my Department. Specific information was sought from relevant bodies as needed.
I would note that Ireland’s current National Recovery and Resilience Plan has been approved by the European Commission. The objective of the plan is to contribute to a sustainable, equitable, green and digital recovery effort, in a manner that complements and supports the Government’s broader recovery efforts. 42% of the plan will support climate investments and reforms.
198. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total amount of installed solar photovoltaic capacity in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51472/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no single register for the number of households that have installed Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Solar PV panels are installed under a number of scenarios. Firstly, Solar PV is installed on new homes, as one of the measures to achieve compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations. These panels are not eligible for Government supports. Secondly, Solar PV panels are installed on existing buildings through grant supports offered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Since 2018, the SEAI has supported the installation of domestic Solar PV systems for over 14,000 homes and with demand for the domestic Solar PV grant increasing significantly throughout the year, we expect that grant applications will exceed 12,600 in 2022 alone. Since the introduction of the MSS domestic grant in early 2022 applications levels are up 250% year on year. For 2023, the SEAI is forecasting to support over 12,500 homes and over 1,000 small businesses and community organisations. In addition to the MSS offering grant support to domestic and non-domestic applicants for renewable installations up to 6kW, these applicants will also be eligible to avail of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff. As such, any residual renewable electricity not consumed on the premises of these microgenerators is now eligible for an export payment; which further supports the investment.
199. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 47 of 8 September 2022, if he will clarify the reason An Post does not propose to comply with Paragraph 8 of DPER Circular 16/2021 in relation to the submission of its request for Ministerial approval of the 2% increase due to its pensioners from 1 January 2023 (details supplied); if he will ask An Post to undertake the necessary processing well in advance of the payment due date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51501/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 47 of 8 September 2022 which notes that neither my Department nor DPER is legally permitted to grant pre-approval for a pension increase. An Post, which is an independent commercial semi-state body, has accordingly undertaken to submit that request in 2023 with the appropriate financial and actuarial reports required for further analysis. As stated in DPER Circular 16/2021, such proposals require NewERA’s views, as well as a business case setting out the strategic, policy and financial rationale for the proposed increase. The business case may also necessitate the inclusion of recent actuarial and financial reports, as will be the case with any subsequent An Post pension increase request.
Paragraph 8 of Circular 16/2021 states that approvals should be submitted for approval well in advance of any decision to implement changes and this is in acknowledgement of the necessary processes that must be completed and in order to ensure that pension increases are not unduly delayed. However, it should be recognised that the pension approval process does take time which is necessary to ensure that robust governance procedures are in place.
200. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the way that he intends to support the eight new Ireland gas-fired power plants with natural gas supplies from Ireland to protect us depending on imports, via Scotland or the European network which is already under pressure. [51548/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland sources roughly one-quarter of its gas from the Corrib gas field, and three-quarters via an interconnector from the UK, which has diverse sources of supply. Both the UK and Ireland both have far less reliance on Russian gas than other European Countries. The UK’s gas supply comes from indigenous supplies, via pipelines from Norway, interconnectors with Belgium and the Netherlands and through imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). As production from the Corrib gas field declines, our import dependence on natural gas from the UK will increase in the near term.
In light of the Ukraine crisis, the European Commission is working closely with Member States to protect the resilience of Europe’s gas supply. The Commission is also actively engaging with other countries to ensure sufficient and timely supply of natural gas to the EU from diverse sources across the globe to avoid supply shocks, including those that could result from disruptions.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to end the issuing of new licences for the exploration and extraction of gas on the same basis as the decision taken in 2019 by the previous Government in relation to oil exploration and extraction. This commitment was made effective immediately upon the current Government taking office, and was placed on a statutory footing on commencement of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021.
Holders of existing authorisations are not affected by these changes, and may apply to progress their authorisations through the licensing stages towards a natural conclusion – which may include expiry, relinquishment or production. This means that a future commercial discovery in an existing authorisation could potentially reach production. Any applications for follow-on authorisations or applications to conduct petroleum activities in the Irish offshore under an authorisation require Ministerial consent, and are required to meet environmental, technical and financial standards as appropriate. If no further gas and oil is discovered in line with the above process, it could be assumed, given the decline of Corrib, that indigenous gas production will be relatively small post 2030.
In September, my Department launched a public consultation on the medium to long-term security of our electricity and gas systems. This review is considering the risks to both natural gas and electricity supplies and is examining a range of measures (including the need for additional capacity to import energy, energy storage, fuel diversification and renewable gases – such as hydrogen). The public consultation, which is open until the 28 October 2022, will help inform the review and the outcome of the review will be brought to Government for its consideration.
It is essential that we cut our dependence on imported fossil fuels, and power comes from our own indigenous renewable resources including wind and solar. Climate Action Plan 2021 sets an ambitious target to increase the share of electricity demand generated from renewable sources to up to 80% by 2030.
201. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will identify the location, backer, technology, megawatt output for the eight new gas-fired power plants and the stage of development for each development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51549/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Single Electricity Market (SEM) is the wholesale electricity market for the island of Ireland. The SEM is regulated by the SEM Committee. The SEM Committee comprises the two energy regulators, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and Northern Ireland’s Utility Regulator and an independent member.The operation and administration of the Single Electricity Market is managed by the Single Electricity Market Operator. Information on capacity auctions and timetables etc. is available in the public domain via the SEMO website: www.sem-o.com/As the Single Electricity Market is operated independently from me as Minister and my Department, the oversight of its operation is a matter for the regulatory authorities.
202. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has determined the viability of gas reservoirs in nearby areas of the Mayo coast already licensed for exploration that have the potential to tie into Corrib Gas existing infrastructure allowing gas to be brought ashore with minimum disruption. [51550/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs a condition of petroleum authorisations, the holders of such authorisations are required to carry out technical work programmes in order to evaluate the prospectivity of the licenced area and to report the results of work programmes to the Geoscience Regulation Office of my Department. The holders of the exploration authorisations in the Slyne Basin, in nearby areas of the Mayo coast adjacent to the producing Corrib gas field, have mapped prospects in their licensed areas but have not drilled any wells on the authorisations. As such, exploration on the authorisations is in the early stages. While the Geoscience Regulation Office in my Department reviews the results of the agreed work programmes it does not carry out its own evaluation of the viability of reservoirs at the early stages of exploration in the licensed areas.
203. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the supports that are available for commercial solar energy; if there are plans to increase these supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51552/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) is targeting support for 380MW of installed micro-generation capacity by 2030, including over 60,000 small microgeneration connections less than 6 KW and 10,000 connections between 6 kW and 50 kW. The first phase of the scheme, consisting of a Domestic solar PV grant, commenced on the 16th February 2022. The second phase of the scheme, announced on 22nd September, sees Solar PV grants being extended to the non-domestic sector, for installations up to and including 6 kW. Grants are administered by SEAI and are up to a maximum of €2,400. This new phase of the scheme provides an opportunity for small businesses, farms and community groups to not only reduce their electricity bills but to visibly demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and Ireland’s broader climate action goals. Moreover, with the recent introduction of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), any residual renewable electricity not consumed on the premises of these microgenerators is now eligible for an export payment; which further supports the investment. The final phase of the MSS will involve the introduction of a Clean Export Premium (CEP) feed-in tariff, to support non-domestic applicants for installation sizes greater than 6kWp up to 50kWp. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) will consult on an implementation plan for the CEP tariff, which will consist of a guaranteed export tariff support for new installations, that is fixed for 15 years. The Climate Action Plan also commits to the development of a support scheme for small-scale generation (above 50kW). This scheme will enable larger businesses, farms and community projects to maximise their participation in the energy transition. The design of the scheme is being progressed, with a public consultation process closing last week, on 13th October. The scheme is expected to become available in 2023.
204. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to Question 131 of October 6 2022, if he will provide the actual timeframe for work being completed / commenced and the number of applicants awaiting the work to be done, as distinct from the approval time for any work (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51573/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers a range of grant schemes to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Grants of up to 50% are now available for individuals who can afford to contribute to the cost of upgrades as well as free energy efficiency retrofits for people at risk of energy poverty.Delivering free energy upgrades to low-income households and reducing the waiting times on the Warmer Homes Scheme waiting list is a top priority for my Department and SEAI. In order to reduce this timeline to completion and target a monthly average of 400 completions this year, the following actions have already been taken:
- The budget, at €109 million, is nearly three times the 2021 outturn (€38 million) and funding has also been sought through the European Regional Development Fund;
- SEAI has been allocated additional staff for the Warmer Homes Scheme;
- SEAI is working to increase contractor output through active contract engagement and management.Latest data provided to my Department by the SEAI indicates that, for homes completed in 2022 under the Warmer Homes Scheme, the longest time waiting for a survey is 9 months, and the average cycle time from application to completion is 27 months. In recent years, cycle times have been affected by COVID related issues. In addition, there are deeper measures being provided under the Scheme since 2018, which involve more substantive works. At present, there is approximately 9,600 applicants on the Warmer Homes Scheme work programme.The previous question 49201/22 from the Deputy asked for the number of applicants who are currently awaiting approval for works.
The Better Energy Homes Scheme and Solar PV Scheme are demand-led schemes which require homeowners to procure their own contractor following grant approval from SEAI (this approval process is instantaneous once all requirements for the SEAI grant application portal are met by applicants). Latest figures from SEAI show that under the Better Energy Homes Scheme the average cycle time for applications that were received and completed in 2022 is 3.6 months and 6 months for applications completed in 2022. While for the Solar PV Scheme the figures are 4.2 months for applications received and completed in 2022 and 5.5 months for applications completed in 2022. Applications prior to this year were more likely to be impacted by Covid with respect to their timeline to completion. Under the National Home Energy Home Upgrade Scheme and Community Energy Grant Scheme, homeowners engage a registered One Stop Shop or Project Co-ordinator, respectively, to manage the grant application process and oversee delivery of the retrofit on their behalf. Works must be completed under these schemes within 12 months.
205. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding an assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51671/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe administration and management of applications under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant schemes are an operational matter for the SEAI. As Minister, I have no function with regard to individual grant applications. The SEAI has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that such queries can be addressed promptly, in line with SEAI’s objective to deliver services to the highest standards. The email address is oireachtas@seai.ie
