Darren O'Rourke
Question:11. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the average wait time from filing an application for the SEAI warmer home scheme. [45625/24]
View answerThursday, 7 November 2024
Questions (11)
Written answers
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates the Warmer Homes Scheme on behalf of my Department. Delivering free energy upgrades to low-income households in or at risk of energy poverty is a top priority for the Government. Since 2000 over 161,190 homes have been upgraded under this scheme. The target for retrofits completed this year under the scheme is 6,325. To end October 6,289 homes have already been upgraded.
In recent years, the scheme has delivered a greater volume of deeper and more complex upgrades. This is reflected in the average cost of upgrades which have seen an almost tenfold increase from €2,600 in 2015 to €26,464 in 2024. These deeper upgrades mean that more lower income homeowners are benefitting to a far greater extent from the scheme. However, it is important to acknowledge that deeper retrofits take longer to complete.
The improvement in the upgrades provided under the scheme in tandem with increased awareness of the multiple benefits of retrofit are driving significantly increased levels of demand. Approximately 24,000 applications from homeowners were received in 2022 and 2023 combined and 10,511 applications to date in 2024.
Applications to the Scheme are assessed on the basis of when they first apply to SEAI. Homes with the worst Building Energy Ratings (E, F or G) are then prioritised for works. Significant reductions in the average waiting time for works to be completed have been achieved this year, reducing from 26 months in 2022 to 17 months for the worst performing homes (rated E, F and G) for homes completed so far in 2024.
This has been achieved in part through the following actions taken to reduce the timeline to completion and increase output under the scheme:
SEAI has been allocated additional staff for the Warmer Homes Scheme;
• SEAI work to increase contractor output through active contract engagement and management;
• Actions to address ongoing supply chain and inflationary pressures;
• A record budget allocation of €208.8m;
• ERDF funding of €264 million over the period 2021 until 2027 to supplement Exchequer funding for the scheme; and
• A new €700 million contractor panel has been put in place for the next 4 years, which has increased contractor capacity to 36.
Budget 2025 announced record funding for residential and community energy upgrades which will be supplemented by an increased allocation from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and will increase the Warmer Homes Scheme budget to €240 million. The 2025 allocation for the scheme represents a 10-fold increase on the 2020 expenditure figure.
My officials continue to work with the SEAI to maximise and accelerate the output of free energy upgrades provided under this important scheme. For further information, the SEAI commenced the publication of quarterly reports on scheme performance in 2023. The most recent reports are available at:
www.seai.ie/publications/SEAI-Retrofit-Full-Year-Report-2023.pdf
www.seai.ie/sites/default/files/2024-09/SEAI-Retrofit-Mid-Year-Report-2024.pdf