Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 November 2025
576. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority homes in Cork city and Cork county that were retrofitted in 2023 and 2024; the number expected to be retrofitted in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66208/25]
View answer577. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing units in Cork city and Cork county that currently remain below BER C; the number upgraded in 2023 and 2024; and the projected number that will remain below BER C in 2030 on the current delivery pace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66209/25]
View answer578. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of heat pumps installed in social housing in Cork city and Cork county in 2023 and 2024; the target for 2025; and whether these installation levels align with national climate commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66210/25]
View answer579. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the level of funding allocated to Cork city council and Cork County Council under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme in 2023, 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66211/25]
View answer580. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way cost inflation in retrofit works is being monitored; whether cost escalation is affecting the number of units delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66212/25]
View answer581. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether staffing shortages or contractor capacity constraints are affecting the ability of local authorities to meet retrofit targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66213/25]
View answer582. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department tracks reductions in energy poverty among social housing tenants following retrofitting works; and when such tracking will be published on a national and local authority basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66214/25]
View answer583. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated gap between the current retrofit pace and the Government’s target to retrofit 36,500 local authority homes by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66215/25]
View answer584. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing retrofits completed in smaller Cork settlements including Blarney, Tower, Glanmire, Grenagh, Whitechurch, Mayfield and surrounding areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66216/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 576 to 584, inclusive, together.
A new holistic approach was adopted under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) in 2021. Led by the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Government is targeting the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a minimum B2 BER Rating standard by 2030. This includes 36,500 local authority social homes supported by funding provided by my department.
Some €90 million will be provided under the EERP this year to retrofit approximately 2,500 local authority homes, with the homes selected and the nature of works included in the programme a matter for each local authority. Accordingly, information on the specific locations of works may be available from Cork City and Cork County Councils upon request.
Appetite and capacity to implement the EERP remains strong in the sector and we anticipate close to 11,000 homes will have been retrofitted under the programme by end-2025. Government is committed to meeting the local authority retrofit targets to 2030 and we expect a considerable uplift in output in the coming years.
Cost inflation associated with social housing retrofit works is monitored through the society of chartered surveyors Ireland and SEAI published data, as well as through analysis of eligible spend submitted by local authorities in parallel with expert advice from my department's technical advisors. The level of funding available for works reflects inter alia cost considerations and the commitment to significantly increasing the number of homes retrofitted every year to 2030. Increasing delivery, coupled with demand for increased funding to support expanding local authority retrofit programmes, suggest capacity issues are not affecting the ability to achieve targets.
An annual breakdown of the homes retrofitted between 2013 and 2024, including for Cork City and Cork County Council, is available at:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/
www.gov.ie/en/publication/b86b3-midlands-energy-retrofit-programme-expenditure-and-units/
Data on delivery under 2025 EERP will be available early in 2026.
The number of heat pumps fitted by Cork City and Cork County Councils in 2023 and 2024 are detailed below. While the 2025 programme is still ongoing, current indicators suggest the target number of heat pumps will likely be met over the lifetime of the programme.
|
Year |
Cork City |
Cork County |
|
2023 |
37 |
185 |
|
2024 |
78 |
151 |
Details in relation BER ratings of social homes should be available directly upon request from the respective local authorities.
My Department does not track the level of energy poverty in social homes pre or post retrofit works.
