Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
120. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the uptake to date of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland grant schemes following the recent announcement of revised grant supports; the number of applications received and approved; the level of funding committed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25717/26]
View answer173. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his plans to improve the schemes for retrofitting. [27855/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 173 together.
Government is committed to providing warmer, more comfortable and energy-efficient homes, while reducing energy bills, cutting emissions and lowering reliance on fossil fuels.
Following Government approval in January, I published the new National Residential Retrofit Plan (NRRP) with an enhanced set of measures to increase the delivery of home energy upgrades and help put homeowners on the pathway to decarbonising their homes.
These measures include new and enhanced attic and cavity wall insulation grants, an increased heat pump system grant, as well as grants for windows and doors. They also include higher grants for homeowners on qualifying welfare payments, new pilots focused on improving options for heat pump technology, and support for older people accessing home energy retrofits under the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Initiative.
To support continuing delivery under the NRRP, the 2026 total budget provides for a record capital allocation of over €640 million for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's (SEAI) residential and community energy upgrade schemes, including the Solar PV Scheme, and to support over 73,000 home energy upgrades in 2026.
The new measures are generating increased interest amongst homeowners in energy upgrades, with the SEAI reporting a near two-fold increase in applications, going to 29,018 in the first quarter of this year compared to 14,836 in the same period in 2025. This points to a strong pipeline of works for the coming months under the schemes.
Most recent SEAI figures for Q1 2026 also show:
• Capital expenditure of €91.5 million (up 18% on Q 1 2025);
• 12,312 home energy upgrades (up 3% on Q1 2025);
• 5,769 B2 upgrades completed (up 12% on Q 1 2025);
• 1,594 fully funded energy upgrades under the Warmer Homes Scheme for low-income households (up 18% on Q 1 2025); and
• 907 heat pumps installed (up 19% on Q 1 2025).
To maintain first quarter momentum and further accelerate growth through the remainder of 2026, my Department and the SEAI will continue to promote home energy upgrade grants while ensuring grant schemes terms and conditions, eligibility criteria and rates are kept under review taking account of demand, research, innovation, evolving technology and other relevant factors.
The budget of up to €3.7 billion to the end of the decade, supplemented by allocations from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), will ensure continued delivery of the SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes and give confidence to the sector to grow, take on staff, invest and innovate.
