I propose to take Questions Nos. 696 to 701, inclusive, together.
In the time available it has not been possible to gather the information sought. My Department is compiling the information requested and I will write to the Deputy with the information sought as a matter of urgency.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A
I refer to the Parliamentary Questions (PQs) which were put down by you for written answer on Tuesday 29th November 2016. In the response given to you it was indicated that my Department was compiling the information sought which would be forwarded to you when available. I am now in a position to provide you with a substantive response to the PQs. Please see the following tables for the requested information. I trust this clarifies the position for you.
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment's Input
Applications submitted for funding from Meath County Council and Louth County Council in 2014-2016
County (Meath/Louth)
|
Name of funding project
|
Year
|
Application outcome
|
Meath
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2016
|
€15,575
|
Meath
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2015
|
€15,000
|
Meath
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2014
|
€16,215
|
Meath
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2016
|
€20,000
|
Meath
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2015
|
€20,000
|
Meath
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2014
|
€25,500
|
Louth
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2016
|
€11,000
|
Louth
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2015
|
€11,000
|
Louth
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2014
|
€11,000
|
Louth
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2016
|
€18,000
|
Louth
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2015
|
€18,000
|
Louth
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2014
|
€22,670
|
PQs Nos. 697, Reference No. 37234/16, and No. 700, Reference No. 37282/16.
Details of projects funded in Co. Meath & Co. Louth in 2014 – 2016
PQs Nos. 696, Reference No. 37218/16, and No. 699, Reference No. 37266/16.
County (Meath/Louth)
|
Name of Project/Grant Scheme
|
Year
|
Location
|
Value of Project/Grant
|
Meath
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2016
|
Meath
|
€15,575
|
Meath
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2015
|
Meath
|
€15,000
|
Meath
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2014
|
Meath
|
€16,215
|
Meath
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2016
|
Meath
|
€20,000
|
Meath
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2015
|
Meath
|
€20,000
|
Meath
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2014
|
Meath
|
€25,500
|
Louth
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2016
|
Louth
|
€11,000
|
Louth
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2015
|
Louth
|
€11,000
|
Louth
|
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund
|
2014
|
Louth
|
€11,000
|
Louth
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2016
|
Louth
|
€18,000
|
Louth
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2015
|
Louth
|
€18,000
|
Louth
|
Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme
|
2014
|
Louth
|
€22,670
|
Meath
|
Schools 100Mbps Broadband Connectivity
|
2014
|
19 Schools based in Meath
|
€149,260.50 relating to broadband service costs.
|
Meath
|
National Broadband Scheme (NBS)
|
The NBS operated between December 2008 and August 2014.
|
18 Electoral Divisions in Meath covered under the NBS
|
Final expenditure under the NBS contract took place in 2014. Expenditure is not broken down on an individual County basis.
|
Louth
|
National Broadband Scheme (NBS)
|
The NBS operated between December 2008 and August 2014.
|
1 Electoral Divisions in Louth
|
Final expenditure under the NBS contract took place in 2014. Expenditure is not broken down on an individual County basis
|
Meath
|
Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)
|
2014
|
Five Metropolitan Area Networks located in Co. Meath.
|
€40,000 paid to Meath CoCo in 2014. This money had been retained by the Department, subject to the satisfactory completion of final construction works under the MANs Programme
|
Meath
|
Trading Online Voucher Scheme
|
2015
|
n/a
|
€8,501.00 (overall value of grant payments to 7 small businesses under the Scheme)
|
Meath
|
Trading Online Voucher Scheme
|
2016 (to mid-October)
|
n/a
|
€15,794.00 (overall value of grant payments to 9 small businesses under the Scheme)
|
Louth
|
Trading Online Voucher Scheme
|
2014
|
n/a
|
€13,040.24 (overall value of grant payments to 7 small businesses under the Scheme)
|
Louth
|
Trading Online Voucher Scheme
|
2015
|
n/a
|
€37,654.70 (overall value of grant payments to 22 small businesses under the Scheme)
|
Meath
|
INFOMARNational Marine Mapping Programme (Geological Survey)
|
2015
|
Mapping offshore Co Meath
|
15 days offshore operations/ value €105,000
|
Meath
|
TellusAirborne Geophysical Survey (Geological Survey)
|
2015
|
All of County Meath
|
13,115 line km of survey/ value €299,238
|
Meath
|
Groundwater Sand & Gravel Aquifer Mapping (Geological Survey)
|
2016
|
Throughout County Meath
|
53 days field operations/ value €18,550
|
Louth
|
INFOMARNational Marine Mapping Programme (Geological Survey)
|
2015/2016
|
Mapping offshore County Louth
|
Offshore operations/ value €1,715,000
|
Detail of funding and proposed funding for 2017 in Co. Meath & Co. Louth
PQs Nos. 698, Reference No. 37250/16, and No. 701, Reference No. 37298/16.
County (Meath/Louth)
|
Name of Project/Grant Scheme
|
Location
|
Value of Project/Grant
|
Meath/Louth
|
Trading Online Voucher Scheme
|
n/a
|
Total funding of €3m has been made available under the Trading Online Voucher Scheme in respect of grant payments to small businesses (subject to match funding) to develop their trading online capacity. The Scheme is administered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices.
|
Meath
|
Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)
|
5 Metropolitan Area Networks in Co. Meath
|
€106,078 final retention payment to be made to Meath CoCo under the MANs Programme
|
Note: Environment Fund budget lines for 2017 remain under consideration. Environment Fund budget allocations will not be finalised until Q1 2017.
The Better Energy Programme which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department is made up of the Better Energy Homes Scheme, Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme and Better Energy Communities.
1. The Better Energy Homes (BEH) Scheme provides grant aid to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their home. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar thermal panels and accompanying Building Energy Rating (BER).
The following table illustrates the number of homes grant-aided per year in respect of Louth and Meath from 2014 to date.
PQs Nos. 696, Reference No. 37218/16, and No. 699, Reference No. 37266/16.
County (Meath/Louth)
|
Name of Project/Grant Scheme
|
Location
|
Grants Paid
|
Number of houses completed
|
Year
|
Louth
|
Better Energy Homes (BEH)
|
Louth
|
€220,670
|
324
|
2014
|
Louth
|
Better Energy Homes (BEH)
|
Louth
|
€349,500
|
387
|
2015
|
Louth
|
Better Energy Homes (BEH)
|
Louth
|
€435,868
|
483
|
2016 (to date)
|
Meath
|
Better Energy Homes (BEH)
|
Meath
|
€316,662
|
358
|
2014
|
Meath
|
Better Energy Homes (BEH)
|
Meath
|
€489,610
|
459
|
2015
|
Meath
|
Better Energy Homes (BEH)
|
Meath
|
€641,100
|
618
|
2016 to date
|
2. The Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH) Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty, who meet the eligibility criteria. It should be noted that under this Scheme the full cost of the works is met, therefore the figures given relate to average spend per home. The measures available typically include draught proofing, attic insulation, lagging jackets for hot water tanks, low energy light bulbs, cavity wall insulation and roof and wall ventilation.
County (Meath/
Louth)
|
Name of Project/Grant Scheme
|
Location
|
Average spend per household
|
Number of houses completed
|
Year
|
Louth
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH)
|
Louth
|
€2,354*
|
230
|
2014
|
Louth
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH)
|
Louth
|
€2,486
|
159
|
2015
|
Louth
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH)
|
Louth
|
€2,209
|
532
|
2016 to date
|
Meath
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH)
|
Meath
|
€2,354*
|
318
|
2014
|
Meath
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH)
|
Meath
|
€2,264
|
233
|
2015
|
Meath
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes (BEWH)
|
Meath
|
€2,213
|
684
|
2016 to date
|
* The old retired BEWHS database does not provide a facility to calculate the average price per home in a specific county. This is the average price per home in total for 2014.
3. The Better Energy Communities Programme aims to encourage community based partnerships to improve the thermal and electrical efficiency of the building stock and energy poor homes and facilities, encouraging the implementation of deeper and more technically and economically challenging measures. These partnerships can be between the public and private sectors, domestic and non-domestic sectors, commercial and not-for-profit organisations and energy suppliers. The community and business supports leverage considerable additional private investment.
The Projects that Meath County Council has been associated with from 2014 to date are as follows:
PQs Nos. 697, Reference No. 37234/16 and No. 700, Reference No. 37282/16
Name of funding project
|
County Meath
|
Year
|
Application outcome
|
Warmer Homes Area
|
Trim Area Scheme
|
2014
|
Successful
|
Warmer Homes Area
|
Navan Area Scheme (Private & LA homes)
|
2014
|
Successful
|
BEC 2015
|
Meath County Council Communities Scheme 2015
|
2015
|
Unsuccessful
|
BEC 2015
|
Meath County Council - Navan Residential Scheme 2015
|
2015
|
Unsuccessful
|
BEC 2016
|
Meath BEC 2016
|
2016
|
Successful
|
The Projects that Louth County Council has been associated with from 2014 to date are as follows:
Name of funding project
|
County Louth
|
Year
|
Application outcome
|
BEC 2014
|
Kingspan Energy BEC Louth
(partnership with LCC & Kingspan)
|
2014
|
Successful
|
BEC 2015
|
Louth Smart Energy
|
2015
|
Successful
|
BEC 2016
|
Louth Community Energy
|
2016
|
Successful
|
Lists of the successful Better Energy Communities projects that received funding in respect of the years 2014-2016 are available on the SEAI website.
Year
|
SEAI Web Link
|
BEC 2014
|
www.seai.ie/News_Events/Press_Releases/2014/Better-Energy-Communities-and-Areas-Approved-Projects-2014.pdf
|
BEC 2015
|
www.seai.ie/Grants/Better_Energy_Communities/Better-Energy-Community-Projects-2015.pdf
|
BEC 2016
|
www.seai.ie/Grants/Better_Energy_Communities/BEC-projects-2016-Oct-revision.pdf
|