Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2024
89. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if consideration has been given to the creation of a funding mechanism to assist with the conversation of fossil fuel-run community district heating systems, details supplied, into more sustainable fuel-run systems and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11190/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraHas any consideration been given to the grant scheme that exists or whether there is a need for a new grant scheme that would assist with the conversion of a gas-fed community or communal district heating system in Carlinn Hall in Dundalk to a more sustainable renewable fuel-run system? Obviously, the district heating steering group got the SEAI to produce a report into a number of alternatives, including geothermal, but my big ask is that there be engagement with the management company - the residents and all the stakeholders - to deliver this while accepting that third parties and private companies are also involved.
I know Deputy Ó Murchú has been in regular contact with me and my officials on this issue, which I know has been a real issue for the residents of Carlinn Hall, which I launched 15 years ago so I am familiar with the housing estate referred to by the Deputy.
The district heating steering group, DHSG, report, which was approved by Government in July 2023 contains a range of recommendations setting the future policy direction for the development of district heating. As part of its work, the DHSG asked the SEAI to carry out a research project using the scheme in question as the study location with the aim of understanding how a typical communal heating system operates in Ireland; assessing options to retrofit low-carbon heat sources, including indicative costs; and making recommendations for both existing and future heat networks in Ireland.
The published report contains a number of recommendations for the scheme for the short to long term and contains recommendations for communal heat networks generally. Among the options that were examined in the SEAI report for replacing the existing gas boiler were heat pumps or a biomass boiler. Grants may be available in that regard and the SEAI’s support scheme for renewable heat, for example, offers installation grants of up to 40% to support investment in renewable heating systems. The scheme in question is privately owned and managed and implementation of any of the recommendations specific to this scheme would be a matter for the relevant parties to decide upon.
I welcome the fact the report was produced as it is necessary not just for this particular communal heating system but the idea of communal and district heating systems across the board. However, there needs to be some element of engagement, including with the management company, which in real terms is a number of the residents who would generally go back to the rest of the residents regarding making any determination. They are willing to use whatever schemes are there. I hope they are all fit for purpose. If there was any facility, be that through the offices of the Minister or the SEAI or both to have real engagement with the management company and Frontline Energy to put together the best recommendation and how it can be delivered while accepting that it will be down to the residents making a determination and will involve third parties to deliver on whatever renewable means are best suited, I would welcome it.
The appropriate organisation in respect of such engagement would be the SEAI, which helped commission the original report. We have the advantage here that there is a detailed feasibility study that could give us lessons for other national applications with recommendations, so I see no reason the residents could not take the route of engaging with the SEAI to see what the best next steps are.
I would like to think this engagement would happen. Will the Minister's office assist in ensuring it can happen? I will be in contact with the Minister about that because we need to deal with this in some sort of structured way while accepting the difficulties and third parties that are involved.
By all means.
