Written Answers Nos. 155-163
155. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the current position on the rollout of the national broadband scheme; the coverage per county; the timeframe on areas not covered; the role his Department takes on ensuring access to broadband in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14931/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2022, the Digital Connectivity Strategy for Ireland was published and it sets out a number of targets including that all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028. This target is on track and will be met through a combination of commercial investment and State funding.
The Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future, published in January 2025, sets a number of targets which include the completion of a high-speed fibre network to provide broadband access to 1.1 million people, including homes, farms, and businesses nationwide, by the end of 2026. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the Government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. There are over 564,000 premises in the Intervention Area (IA). Design work has been completed by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) at 560,347 of all premises (99%) in the IA. There are 119,018 of those premises (35%) in the IA connected. 357,677 premises (63%) in the IA can order or pre-order broadband from NBI across all counties in mainly rural areas. NBI have also passed 344,819 premises (61%) in the IA.
NBI are connecting around 4,000 premises to their fibre network per month. NBI expect to have passed over 420,000 premises by end of 2025, which will be 70% of the premises in the Intervention Area.
The latest information on when high-speed broadband will become available to areas which are to be served by the network deployed under the NBP State led intervention can be found on National Broadband Ireland’s (NBI) website at nbi.ie/map/. This website is regularly updated providing the expected timeline for delivery and status of any works that are initiated at any point in time.
NBI also has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.
My Department has engaged with NBI at every opportunity to explore options that might increase the pace of rollout and has been working with Directors of Service and Broadband Officers from all Local Authorities, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the County and City Management Agency (CCMA), the Road Management Office (RMO) and other Government Departments, to ensure that any possible barriers that might delay the rollout are addressed as soon as possible. Engagement with other bodies such as Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Irish Rail and ComReg have also been undertaken.
The National Broadband Plan is one of the most successful and impactful infrastructure projects in the history of the State. The benefits of the digital transition are felt right across the country – in every home, farm and school.
Along with the NBP intervention contract, progress is being made by commercial operators’ in expanding their next generation networks throughout the State and ensuring the targets set out in the Digital Connectivity strategy are achieved.
156. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide details of the annual funding amount allocated for Offaly to a scheme (details supplied) from 2019 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14951/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra157. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide details of the annual funding amount used for Offaly (details supplied) from 2019 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14953/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 157 together.
The Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end 2030. To promote and incentivise the achievement of these targets, the Government has put in place a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills. A record capital budget of €550 million for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) residential and community energy upgrade schemes has been allocated for 2025. The overall allocation means that the progress made to date under the National Retrofit Plan is being further built upon this year.
The specific data requested by the Deputy is not routinely supplied by the SEAI to my Department. I have directed the SEAI to reply directly to the Deputy with the data requested for County Offaly, in so far as it is available, as soon as possible. The SEAI has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that such queries can be addressed promptly, in line with the SEAI’s objective to deliver services to the highest standards. The email address is oireachtas@seai.ie.
158. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of heat pumps installed in County Louth under the warmer homes schemes and warmth and wellbeing schemes from 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14964/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra159. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of oil boilers and gas boilers replaced in County Louth under the warmer homes schemes and warmth and wellbeing schemes from 2020 to 2024, in tabular form. [14965/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra160. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the funding allocated to install heat pumps in County Louth under the warmer homes schemes and warmth and wellbeing schemes from 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14966/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra161. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the funding allocated to replace oil and gas boilers in County Louth under the warmer homes schemes and warmth and wellbeing schemes from 2020 to 2024.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14967/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 158, 159, 160 and 161 together.
The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people in energy poverty by providing fully-funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. The upgrades that will be recommended for a property will depend on many factors, including age, size, type and condition of the property. For each eligible home, the SEAI’s technical surveyor will determine which upgrades can be installed and funded.
Until 31 December 2024, a new gas or oil heating system could be recommended for installation and funded under the scheme. These heating systems were installed in order to comply with building regulation requirements where a major renovation is taking place under the scheme, and to ensure that homeowners were not left without heating in their homes. A major renovation is triggered when more than 25% of the area of the walls is being externally and/or internally insulated. In these instances, the existing heating system must be appraised for replacement. Replacement will be recommended where:
• There is no heating system in place, and the home is undergoing a major renovation.
• Where the existing heating system is obsolete and the home is undergoing a major renovation.
If the surveyor determines that the recommended works trigger the major renovation rules, the SEAI must ensure that the requirements (including the heating system related requirements) are met. Otherwise, the renovation would be in breach of the building regulations.
Under the revised EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), Member States cannot provide financial incentives for the installation of stand-alone boilers powered by fossil fuels from 1 January 2025. Therefore, since then, the SEAI cannot recommend new standalone oil or gas boilers as an upgrade measure when surveying homes under this scheme. Instead, where a heating system upgrade is required as part of a major renovation, the SEAI will assess the suitability of the home for a heat pump, or other renewable heating technologies, which are compliant with the EPBD. Therefore, where a homeowner does not wish to have their heating system replaced with an EPBD-compliant system as part of a major renovation, the SEAI cannot carry out the other insulation works. Homes which were surveyed and recommended for boiler upgrades prior to 1 January this year are not affected by this change and planned works already communicated to homeowners, including boiler upgrades, will continue. Homes that had applied prior to 1 January, but which were not surveyed prior to 1 January, are affected by this change and the approach outlined above will apply.
The specific data sought by the Deputy in relation to the amount of funding and number of households in County Louth that received a heating system upgrade, is not routinely provided to my Department by the SEAI. I have directed the SEAI to reply directly to the Deputy with the data requested, in so far as it is available, as soon as possible.
162. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the financial supports available to older persons in County Louth to replace oil and gas boilers following the signing of the EU regulations 2024 ( S.I. No. 749/2024); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14968/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 749/2024) transpose Article 17(15) of Directive 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast) into Irish law. The Regulations provide that from 1 January 2025 public bodies shall not provide any financial incentives for the installation of stand-alone boilers powered by fossil fuels.
However, funding by public bodies remains permissible in respect of costs relating to the repair of an existing fossil fuel boiler by a qualified contractor (oil or gas) or the purchase and installation of a second-hand fossil fuel boiler by a qualified contractor (oil or gas). Grants may also continue to be paid in respect to the repair or replacement of all other parts of a central heating system such as new radiators, oil tanks or pipework, regardless of connection to an existing fossil fuel boiler (oil or gas). Grants are also still permissible in respect of non-fossil fuel heating such electric or biomass heating solutions.
Furthermore, for the homes of people in energy poverty, the Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve their energy efficiency and warmth by providing fully-funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. In line with S.I. No. 749/2024, the SEAI cannot recommend the installation of new stand-alone oil or gas boilers as an upgrade measure when surveying homes under this scheme. Instead, where a heating system upgrade is required as part of a major renovation under this scheme, the SEAI will assess the suitability of the home for a heat pump, or other renewable heating technologies, which are compliant with the EPBD. Therefore, non-fossil fuel heating systems will continue to be installed under the Warmer Homes Scheme.
163. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of actual and attempted cyberattacks on his Department during each of the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, the countries of origin of those attacks [14686/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2020, my Department migrated its core IT infrastructure to the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) under the 'Build to Share Managed Desktop' shared service.
My Department working with the OGCIO implements a multi layered defence-in-depth security strategy which is achieved through the effective combination of People, Processes, and Technology to support the implementation of appropriate security measures and provisions. This defence-in-depth security strategy includes the implementation of an extensive Information Security Management System (ISMS) comprising of many security policies and controls, which is aligned and certified to the industry security standard ISO 27001:2022 to address risks from cyber security attacks. These security controls ensure that a consistent and effective approach is adhered to in the management of cyber security threats and incidents.
With the threat landscape constantly evolving, a significant effort is expended to continually enhance and strengthen ICT security to mitigate against emerging threats, risks, vulnerabilities and cybersecurity attacks. With this increased sophistication and complexity, the cyber criminals have become very proficient at masking their activity. As a result, it is not always possible to determine the country of origin of attacks with any certainty. My Department under the OGCIO provided Build To Share Service is subject to continuous and ongoing cyber-attacks on an hourly basis which are intercepted at different levels of our multi layered defence-in-depth approach, including outside our perimeter. Therefore, while it is not possible to provide the exact number of cyber attacks on my Department, I can say that these routinely run to tens of thousands each year for all clients within the Build to Share Service as advised by the OGCIO.
