Written Answers Nos. 77-92
77. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the pre-BER and post-BER rating of heat pumps installed as part of the SEAI retrofitting programme, broken down by SEAI scheme in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36274/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra78. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on the installation of heat-pumps under the SEAI retrofitting programme; the number of heat pumps stalled in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, broken down per SEAI scheme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36275/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra80. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the average cost to install a heat pump in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36277/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 77, 78 and 80 together.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) manage a number of residential and community energy upgrade grant support schemes on behalf of my Department. A record capital budget of approximately €430 million for SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes (including Solar PV scheme) has been allocated for 2024. The overall allocation will mean that the progress made in recent years under the National Retrofit Plan will be further built on in 2024.
Grant support of up to €6,500 is available for the installation of air to water heat pumps as a standalone measure under the Better Energy Home Scheme. For homeowners undertaking a deep retrofit with a heat pump under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme or the Community Energy Grant Scheme, grant support of up to €10,500 is available. Full details on the range of SEAI supports available can be found at www.seai.ie.
There has been significant year-on-year growth in the number of heat pumps installed in recent years. Data from SEAI schemes shows that in the period 2019 to end-August 2024, 167,947 property upgrades have been supported by SEAI. Of these, 12,940 have installed a heat pump.
The full cost of installing a heat pumps in an existing dwelling as part of an energy efficiency upgrade can vary significantly depending on several factors. Data from the SEAI indicates that, on average, the installation of a heat pump system can range from €13,000 to €22,000.
Increasing the uptake of heat pumps among homeowners is a top priority for my Department and as such, further policies and measures will be introduced on an annual basis in order to support the achievement of these targets.
SEAI data giving a breakdown per SEAI scheme of the number of heat pumps installed and the average installation costs in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to end August 2024 is set out in the linked tables:
The specific additional data sought by the Deputy in relation to the breakdown of pre-BER and post-BER rating of heat pumps installed as part of the SEAI retrofitting programme, broken down by SEAI scheme in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024 is not routinely provided to my Department by SEAI. I have directed SEAI to reply directly to the Deputy with the data requested, in so far as it is available, as soon as possible.
79. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the budget allocations for each programme under the subhead B4 of the Revised Estimate for Public Service 2024, in tabular form. [36276/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2024 Revised Estimates Volume, published in December 2023, includes a total budget allocation of €444.348 million for Subhead B.4 - Residential/Community Retrofit Programmes. This is an increase of over 35% over the 2023 Estimate of €327,565 million. Subsequently, a Further Revised Estimates Volume (FREV) was published in May 2024 following the transfer of the marine functions to my Department, however the 2024 allocation under Subhead B.4 remained unchanged.
This Subhead provides for the grant funding and operational costs for Residential and Community Energy retrofit programmes administered through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
The funding with in the Subhead is currently allocated as follows:
|
Residential/Community Retrofit Programmes |
Current€000 |
Capital€000 |
Total€000 |
|
BE Warmer Homes |
1,394 |
158,854 |
160,248 |
|
BE Warmer Homes (ERDF)* |
- |
50,000 |
50,000 |
|
BE Homes |
1,600 |
60,200 |
61,800 |
|
Solar PV |
680 |
54,000 |
54,680 |
|
BE Communities (Community Energy Grant) |
300 |
45,000 |
45,300 |
|
Deep Retrofit |
- |
500 |
500 |
|
One Stop Shop Development Scheme |
850 |
45,000 |
45,850 |
|
Solar PV (Medically Vulnerable) |
- |
16,203 |
16,203 |
|
Renewable Electricity Support Scheme - Communities |
74 |
1,543 |
1,617 |
|
BER Supports Capital |
- |
2,000 |
2,000 |
|
Community Activation Fund |
50 |
3,900 |
3,950 |
|
Retrofit Development (Energy Efficiency Obligations) |
1,150 |
- |
1,150 |
|
Demand Generation |
1,050 |
- |
1,050 |
|
Total Allocation |
7,148 |
437,200 |
444,348 |
*European Regional Development Fund
81. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of community energy grant funding awarded, broken down by eligible category in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36278/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra82. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of community energy grant funding drawn down, broken down by eligible category in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36279/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra83. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of funding awarded to commercial organisations under the community energy grant fund, broken down by property type; the average grant that was awarded, broken down by property type; the average amount of funding that was drawn down, broken down by property type in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36280/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 81, 82 and 83 together.
The Communities 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 Scheme supports cross-sectoral and community-oriented partnership approaches that deliver energy savings to a range of building types including public, commercial and community buildings with a particular focus on using the projects to deliver home retrofits.
In 2023 under the CEG scheme 19 contracts closed delivering 601 home energy upgrades and 300 non-domestic upgrade projects. The capital spend on the Community Energy Grant Scheme in 2023 was €27 million. The home energy upgrades included 68 Approved Housing Body homes and 44 energy poor homes.
With a full-year budget of €45 million, the CEG scheme has to end August 2024 delivered 387 home energy upgrades to BER B2 or better and 108 non-domestic projects.
Further information on expenditure and output and associated costs for each SEAI Retrofit programme for 2023 and Quarter 1 2024 can also be found on the SEAI website at:
www.seai.ie/publications/SEAI-Retrofit-Full-Year-Report-2023.pdf
www.seai.ie/publications/SEAI-Retrofit-Quarterly-Report-Q1-2024.pdf
The report for Quarter 2 2024 will be published shortly on the SEAI website.
The specific additional data sought by the Deputy in relation to the breakdown of funding under each eligible category including to commercial organisations is not routinely provided to my Department by SEAI. I have directed SEAI to reply directly to the Deputy with the data requested, in so far as it is available, as soon as possible.
85. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the breakdown of the funding drawn down by renewable energy communities in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36283/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question No. 169 of 14 December 2023. The Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS) Community Enabling Framework was launched in 2022. It provides a range of supports, including grant funding of potentially up to €180,000, offered from SEAI to community renewable energy projects, to help them participate in the RESS. To date, two community projects (both under RESS 1 in 2022) have received €40,000 each in grant funding.
The funding allocated enables SEAI to deploy a number of capacity-building supports including an information warehouse, trusted intermediary and advisor services, and financial grant supports, all of which are vital to support community owned renewable energy projects to be built.
My Department is working closely with the SEAI and community groups to assess the barriers to community energy projects, to ensure a long term sustainable future for the community energy sector in Ireland.
Community projects will now transition to the non-competitive Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS), enabling community projects to maximise their participation in the energy transition.
The first phase of SRESS was launched in July 2023. This sees both SRESS and the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) providing support to communities, larger businesses, farms, and public buildings, with grants that support solar installations. These non-domestic scheme grants are supporting renewables self-consumers to invest in systems of up to 1MW in size.
The export tariff phase of SRESS, is due to open for applications by the end of the year, and will be a major step forward in supporting the community energy sector.
86. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason a family (details supplied) cannot access their EIR connection due to their Eircode not being uploaded onto the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36331/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland's Digital Connectivity Strategy, published by my Department, sets ambitious targets, which include providing a Gigabit network to all households and businesses in Ireland by 2028 and access to 5G in all populated areas by 2030.
The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland.
The Question refers to a premises located in the AMBER area on the broadband map, which is available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/5634d-national-broadband-plan-map/. The AMBER area is to be served by the network deployed under the NBP State led intervention.
Commercial Fixed line operators Open Eir, Virgin Media and SIRO are delivering high-speed broadband services in the blue area/non-intervention area of the map. The activities of commercial operators delivering high-speed broadband are not planned or funded by the State and the Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard.
This Eircode is a new build in the intervention area and is now included on the National Broadband Ireland (NBI) Map.
It is advisable, to all end users undertaking new builds in the intervention area that they apply for their Eircode as soon as possible because once their new build appears in the latest Geo-directory, it will be indexed to the NBI network at the next quarterly map update.
The latest information on when high-speed broadband will become available to this premises will be found on National Broadband Ireland’s website at //nbi.ie/map/.
87. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update in respect of the investigation by Inland Fisheries Ireland regarding a loss of farmed salmon stock into Killary Harbour; and if he has been updated in respect of the damage that may have been caused to wild stock. [36355/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will note that aquaculture policy, regulation and licensing is a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (D/AFM). As the licence regulator of this fish farm, I understand that D/AFM is carrying out an investigation into the escape at this facility.
That said, I have been updated on this matter by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) - the statutory body tasked with the protection, management and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. IFI has advised that they have been monitoring the region for escaped farmed salmon from Killary Harbour, including at the fish trapping facility located at the National Salmonid Index Catchment on the Erriff river. IFI have alerted anglers and fishery owners throughout the region of the potential presence of escaped farmed fish in rivers and to report any suspected farmed salmon encountered, while emphasising the importance of protecting wild salmon from accidental removal. Furthermore, IFI have put in place arrangements to collect any retained fish caught by anglers suspected as being of farmed origin for further analysis and verification purposes. Identification of farmed salmon arising from the escape has been challenging due to the lack of clear markers identifying farmed fish from wild salmon.
To date, retained salmon verified as being of farmed origin have been caught as far north as the Owenmore River in County Mayo and as far south as the Corrib River in County Galway, highlighting the extent of the spread to date. Presence of farmed salmon has also been verified in Killary Harbour and the Erriff, Dawros, and Bundorragha (Delphi) rivers and is suspected but unconfirmed at other sites.
The occurrence of escaped farmed salmon in rivers owing to this event has the potential to be detrimental to wild salmon stocks through interbreeding, which can impact the health and diversity of wild salmon populations. Such a negative impact may not materialise immediately (as spawning does not occur until the winter period) and therefore, it cannot be established at this time what the consequences are for wild salmon stocks and how widespread this potential damage may be.
88. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the criteria regarding having a child under seven came into force for people on disability allowance payment; and the case of a child (details supplied) will be reviewed. [36397/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn February 2022, in line with commitments in the National Retrofit Plan, the Government announced a number of changes to the Warmer Homes Scheme. These changes were implemented to improve the targeting of the scheme.
One of these changes was to extend the scheme eligibility criteria to include those in receipt of the Disability Allowance for over 6 months and have a child under 7 years. Disability Allowance had not previously been a qualifying payment for the scheme. This change brought the eligibility criteria for the scheme for those in receipt of Disability Allowance in line with the existing criteria for the scheme for those in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance. This was an existing qualifying payment, also where the person had a child aged under 7. Young children are at particular risk of long-term impacts from living in a cold home.
The scheme targets support to those most in need and living in the least efficient homes so that the resources available can have the greatest impact. The eligibility criteria are kept under ongoing review with the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to ensure they are consistent with and complementary to the other income support schemes offered by that Department.
It should be noted that Disability Allowance is a qualifying payment for the Fuel Allowance, which is one of the DSP payments that meet the eligibility criteria for the Warmer Homes scheme. Households should apply to DSP in advance of the Fuel Allowance season (end September) to check whether they are eligible.
The Deputy may wish to note that Government also has other schemes and supports in place which may be of assistance where there is an urgent need.
The Department of Social Protection's Additional Needs Payment is a payment available to people who have essential expenses that they cannot pay from their weekly income. Additional Needs Payments are paid under Supplementary Welfare Allowance which is administered by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) or the Department of Social Protection. Details are available here: www.gov.ie/en/service/4eb45-additional-needs-payment/ .
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage's Housing Adaptation Grants can assist older people to have necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works carried out in order to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. Details are available here: www.gov.ie/en/service/6636c-housing-adaptation-grants-for-older-people-and-people-with-a-disability/ .
89. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide data on the number of holiday homes that received the Government electricity credit in the past year; the number of holiday-home meter points that were deemed ineligible under the measures introduced to exclude low-usage customers; the estimated potential cost of extending the credit to holiday homes in the coming months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36409/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2024 introduced a third Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme which over 2.2 million households have benefitted from - worth €450 in total per household. Through the three Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Schemes 2.2 million households have received €1,250 in on bill support.
Under Scheme III, usage levels were assessed to ensure that payments were withheld in relation to low usage electricity accounts identified by the distribution system operator, to prevent the payment from being applied to vacant houses.
ESB Networks identified accounts which consumed less than 150 kilowatt hours of electricity per quarter for four consecutive quarters between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. If a domestic electricity account identified by ESB Networks on the effective date in respect of each payment, was flagged as a low usage account, it was not allocated a payment for that payment period. The payment was not withheld for accounts with a financial hardship meter, accounts held by registered vulnerable customer or accounts which have low usage due to the exporting of energy to the grid through microgeneration.
The Scheme allows for review by a customer’s electricity supplier, if contacted by a customer who has not received the payment. The customer can seek further review by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, which has oversight of the Scheme, following the decision of the electricity supplier.
The CRU reports regularly on the implementation of the Scheme and has confirmed that, as of 26 August, 95% of domestic electricity customers have been credited with all three payments, with the majority of the remaining 5% being low usage accounts for whom the account holder did not contact the supplier, with approx. 91,000 accounts in this bracket. The CRU has allowed until 30 September 2024 for customer appeals to the CRU and for subsequent payments to customers. While the final report will not be received until January 2025, when the Scheme has fully ceased, an estimated €40 million has been saved over the course of the three payments.
90. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will consider the removal of the standing charge on electricity supply bills for pensioners; and his views on whether this is an unfair charge on low-income pensioners. [36568/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) was assigned consumer protection functions under the 1999 Electricity Regulation Act and subsequent legislation and has statutory responsibility for the compliance by energy suppliers with their consumer protection obligations.
The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial and liberalised. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including the matters raised by the Deputy, is solely a matter for the CRU. In line with long standing policy on deregulating price setting, CRU ended its regulation of retail prices in the electricity market in 2011, and in the gas market in 2014.
Price setting by electricity suppliers, including standing charges is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. Each such company has its own different approach to pricing decisions over time, in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base. Within a competitive environment, providers also have costs such as staffing, Tax, infrastructure, and cost of Network Tariffs which in turn affects end users’ bills.
Network tariffs which are a significant component of a customer's standing charge are used to finance the maintenance and expansion of Ireland's electricity grid which are necessary tasks on ensuring our journey to a Net Zero. This will have long run benefits for electricity users throughout Ireland.
The CRU is an independent statutory regulator and is accountable for the performance of its functions to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action. The CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on energy regulatory matters, such as the matter raised in this question, to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
91. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total annual value of subsidies paid to large energy users under the large energy users rebalancing subvention, in each year since it was established, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36630/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not myself as Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation.
The CRU is responsible for, inter alia, the economic regulation of the electricity system operators ESB Networks, distribution, and EirGrid, transmission. The cost of building, safely operating and maintaining the electricity system is recovered by system operators through charges on customers, all of which is overseen and agreed with the CRU.
System operator spending is agreed with the CRU in five-year cycles, referred to as Price Reviews, and network tariffs are set annually by the CRU for the period October to September. The Deputy’s question relates to the Large Energy User Rebalancing Subvention, which ceased from 1st October 2022. The calculation of the LEU rebalancing subvention is within the exclusive remits of CRU and ESB Networks. ESB Networks are independent of myself as Minister in the exercise of their functions as network operators. The CRU and ESB Networks have respective contact email address for Deputies, of which they are aware, should they wish to raise matters of concern such as that raised in the question.
In this regard, it is of note that the CRU and ESB Networks have appeared before the JOC on Environment and Climate Action on a number of occasions in respect of this matter, including January this year. Furthermore, the CRU have published information notes in respect of this subvention.
92. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the current and capital projects under the remit of his Department that received EU funding in 2023 and to date in 2024; and the amount of EU funding received per project in each of the years in question, in tabular form. [36670/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraEU projects are pre-funded through the annual estimates process with funding being recouped to the Exchequer from the EU after the milestones and targets have been achieved and verified.
The table below details the projects across the Department that are in receipt of EU Funding.
|
Capital Projects |
|||||
|
EU Fund Title |
Programme/Scheme |
2023 allocation € |
EU Refunds 2023 € |
2024 Allocation € |
EU Refunds to End August 2024 € |
|
REPowerEU |
SEAI/HSE Pilot Energy & Decarbonisation Pathfinder |
Nil |
Nil |
€10,000,000 |
Nil |
|
ERDF |
Warmer Homes Scheme |
€13,000,000 |
Nil |
€50,000,000 |
Nil |
|
Just Transition |
Just Transition |
€19,652,000 |
Nil |
€26,970,000 |
Nil |
|
TOTALS |
€ 32,652,000 |
€ Nil |
€ 86,970,000 |
€ Nil |
|
Current Projects |
|||||
|
EU Fund Title |
Programme/Scheme |
2023 allocation€,000 |
EU Refunds 2023€ |
2024 Allocation€ |
EU Refunds to End August 2024 € |
|
Horizon 2020 |
MIREU(Mining and Metallurgy Regions of EU) |
Nil |
€34,821 |
Nil |
Nil |
|
EMFAF-2021-PIA-MSP |
REGINIL-MSP(Formerly part of DHLGH and transferred to DECC in 2024) |
Nil |
Nil |
€13,483 |
Nil |
|
NCC-IE |
Digital Europe Programme |
€2,000,000 |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
|
Cyber CORE Network |
Digital Europe Programme |
Nil |
Nil |
€1,775,000 |
Nil |
|
Trustboost |
Digital Europe Programme |
Nil |
Nil |
€197,000 |
Nil |
|
Horizon Europe/Horizon 2020 |
Horizon Europe/Horizon 2020 |
€81,853 |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
|
Horizon Europe |
GSEU(Geological Service EU) |
€69,240 |
€69,240 |
€39,509 |
Nil |
|
Horizon 2020 |
ERA-NET ERA-MIN 2 |
Nil |
Nil |
€42,722 |
Nil |
|
Horizon 2020 |
ERA-NET GEOTHERMICA |
Nil |
Nil |
€73,902 |
Nil |
|
Horizon Europe |
Clean Energy Transition Partnership |
Nil |
Nil |
€21,491 |
€21,491 |
|
EASME/EMFF |
EMODNET(European Marine Observation and Data Network) |
€79,749 |
€79,749 |
€20,500 |
€20,500 |
|
InterReg E-W/ERDF |
CHERISH(Climate, Heritage and Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands) |
€74,653 |
€74,653 |
€124,380 |
€124,380 |
|
ESFRI |
EPOS(European Plate Observing System) |
€7,675 |
€7,675 |
€1,729 |
€1,729 |
|
InterReg N-S/ ERDF |
Catchment Care |
€264,936 |
€264,936 |
Nil |
Nil |
|
EU LIFE |
Lough Carra LIFE |
€183,515 |
€183,515 |
€36,000 |
Nil |
|
TOTALS |
€2,761,621 |
€714,589 |
€2,345,716 |
€168,100 |
