Energy Policy

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Questions (61, 62, 84)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

61. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the update to the guidelines for the community energy grant scheme in June to specifically allow for applications from real estate investment trusts and commercial landlords to upgrade multi-unit dwellings; if real estate investment trusts commercial landlords were eligible for retrofitting grants up to this point or had they accessed them via a different avenue; if so, the breakdown of grants awarded; the breakdown of the average value of awards; the breakdown of the average incentive level for unit upgrades; if this was consistently 30% of eligible costs in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36106/24]

View answer

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

62. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the guidelines to the community energy grant scheme in June to specifically allow for applications from real estate investment trusts and commercial landlords upgrade multi-unit dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36107/24]

View answer

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

84. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of funding allocated to retrofit multi-unit dwellings by commercial organisations under the community energy grant scheme in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36281/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

I propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 62 and 84 together.

The Community Energy Grant 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 2024 guidelines for the Scheme set out the supports available to upgrade Multi-Unit Dwellings (MUDs). MUDs owned by Approved Housing Bodies or Community organisations can receive 50% of eligible costs. MUDs that are either partially or fully owned by Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and/or other commercial landlords can receive 30% of eligible costs in line with other commercial operations under CEG. REITs have been eligible to apply for support under the scheme in previous years.

SEAI advises that in 2023, circa. 100 rental properties were upgraded with support from the CEG scheme. My Department does not hold data providing a further breakdown of this number by landlord type.

Question No. 62 answered with Question No. 61.