Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
645. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses in Galway city and Galway county that have been upgraded through the retrofitting programme for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27058/23]
View answerSince 2013, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) to support local authorities with the retrofit of local authority owned homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Over the period 2013-2021, Galway City Council and Galway County Council received almost €7 million in funding to carry out energy upgrade works on 3,804 properties.
In response to the Programme for Government commitment, my Department launched a newly revised ten year Energy Efficiency Programme in 2021 for local authority owned housing. This new programme set a BER performance requirement of “B2” or cost optimal level. The upscaling of the works included in the programme sees a substantial overall increase in funding being made available for insulation, windows and doors and heating upgrades, specifically the installation of a Heat Pump and associated works. Under the new programme, 151 properties have been retrofit in Galway City Council and Galway County which received funding of over €5 million.
An annualised breakdown of the funding provided and the number of properties upgraded under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit programme for the years 2013-2021 is available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/.
My Department also introduced the Midlands Retrofit Programme in 2020, in which Galway County Council were included. A further 56 properties were retrofit in Galway County to a BER of B2/ Cost Optimal Equivalent and these figures are in addition to the National Retrofit Programme. Details of the Midlands Energy Retrofit Programme can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/b86b3-midlands-energy-retrofit-programme-expenditure-and-units/.
