Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
120. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total number of solid fuel homes, per scheme, that had a home energy upgrade via the national retrofit plan; their post-retrofit standard in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, Q1 2023 and Q2 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36809/23]
View answerThe Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end-2030.
Retrofitting fossil fuel heated homes and replacing the heating systems with heat pumps and renewable energy systems is a key target of the Climate Action Plan. Budget 2023 has provided €356 million for SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties and support the delivery of 37,000 retrofits this year.
These supports are available to households reliant on solid fuel central heating systems who wish to undertake energy efficiency upgrades and are considering installing heat pumps. In line with commitments in the Climate Action Plan, officials from my Department and the SEAI are working to identify options to further support these homeowners to convert to heat pumps.
The data sought by the Deputy on the numbers of solid fuel-heated homes that had energy upgrade works carried out under SEAI schemes is not routinely supplied by the SEAI to my Department.
