Written Answers Nos. 34-44
34. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if consideration will be given to exempting agricultural tyres from the extended producer responsibility scheme, as suggested by those in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53352/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2017 were introduced to ensure environmentally sound management of tyres placed on the Irish market throughout their lifecycle. At that time, tyres within the agricultural, bus and truck, construction and industrial categories were granted a temporary derogation from the prescribed environmental management cost (EMC).
The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy 2020-2025, however, committed to including these categories of tyre in the future to ensure best environmental management and the fair distribution of costs across the sector. In reality, many end-of-life tyres currently not included in the scheme are either not recycled at all and deteriorate in the environment, or they find their way into the scheme, meaning the cost of recycling is being borne by those paying the EMC for tyres in the passenger, 4x4, van and motorcycle categories.
The Department continues to consider the implications of continuing the extension of the scheme on stakeholders and is working to ensure that any such extension is underpinned by fairness and appropriate cost allocation.
35. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason only a small amount of the total balance of the market cap fund has been spent; what the currently distributed funds have been spent on; the plans to distribute the remainder of the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53400/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector)(Cap on Market Revenues) Act 2023 implemented a cap on market revenues of licensed producers of electricity as required in Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices. The cap was applied for the period 1 December 2022 to 30 June 2023 and the proceeds from the cap on market revenues were approximately €190 million.
The Act provides for the establishment and administration of a fund, to be known as the Market Cap Fund, into which the proceeds from the cap on market revenues will be held. These proceeds are managed by EirGrid on behalf of the CRU. The Act provides that I, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, may prescribe one or more schemes under the fund to finance targeted, non-discriminatory and verifiable measures in support of final electricity consumers to mitigate the impact of high electricity prices.
To date, I have approved the allocation of €27 million from the Market Cap Fund to support the Non-Domestic Microgen Scheme. As of 15 September 2025, €3.9 million has been disbursed to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland which administers the scheme on behalf of my Department.
My Department is currently preparing its sectoral capital plan that will set out how it proposes to prioritise the resources allocated to it under the National Development Plan 2026-2030 and I intend that funding under the Market Cap Fund will complement the Department's strategic investment objectives for the next five years.
36. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide details of the €27 million funding announced for the acceleration of Ireland's circular economy transition; and the timeframe for when the funds will be issued, by county. [53488/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the funding announcement earlier this year, successful recipients of 2025 funds have already availed of funding and will continue to drawdown funds until year end.
While the allocation of funding is currently only available in aggregate form, funds have been provided to support a range of important circular national initiatives this year including the Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme, EPA Circular Economy Programme, Anti-Dumping Initiative, Irish Environmental Network and Food Circle project. In addition, funds have been allocated to support the introduction of designated waste collection systems for textiles and hazardous waste.
More information on the initiatives supported by the Fund can be found in the annual Circular Economy Fund Accounts (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/publications/circular-economy-fund-accounts/) audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG). It should be noted the audit of the 2024 accounts has yet to be finalised as the audit of accounts are typically carried out by the C&AG in the final quarter of the subsequent year.
The Circular Economy Fund operates on an annual basis, with the €27million allocated for 2025 activities only. The Fund utilises revenues from environmental levies to provide financial support to the initiatives as prescribed for under Section 8 (9) of the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2022.
37. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if there will be an expansion of the funding of the circular economy innovation grant scheme in 2025. [53489/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to confirm that the 2025 funding round of the Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme (CEIGS) was launched on 10 September last.
The CEIGS is designed to support innovative circular economy projects led by social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations, and small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Since its launch in April 2021, the scheme has awarded €1.8 million to 36 projects, spanning key circular economy themes including food waste, plastics, single-use packaging, construction, textiles, and general waste.
Following a successful 2024 call, the scheme will once again be administered in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland, a philanthropic hub that connects donors, grantees, and communities committed to positive social change.
For the 2025 round, €650,000 in total funding is available, with individual grants expected to range between €40,000 and €50,000.
Projects should focus on priority areas for Ireland’s circular economy, including plastics, circularity for the construction sector, food waste prevention and proposals that enhance the recovery of critical raw materials in products.
The CEIGS has supported many innovative businesses since its inception, each one contributing to Ireland’s efforts to deliver a more circular economy. For example, Blade-bridge who are repurposing decommissioned turbine blades, transforming them into public infrastructure including bridges and street furniture, and Happe Earth who are helping the healthcare industry to transition from single-use plastics to medically approved compostable alternatives.
This call will enable us to extend that support across a broad range of organisations, community groups and SMEs throughout Ireland, accelerating action for the circular economy, and spotlighting truly innovative projects that have the potential to be replicated across the country creating maximum circular impact.
38. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when a new waste action plan for a circular economy is planned to be delivered after the current plan is due to expire at the end of 2025. [53490/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy (WAPCE) 2020-2025 established an ambitious suite of measures to continuously improve Ireland’s waste management systems, minimise waste and improve resource efficiency.
The WAPCE will be updated in 2026 to ensure that it aligns with and drives the delivery and implementation of the new Circular Economy Strategy which will be published before the end of this year.
The updated WAPCE will inform and give direction to waste planning and management in Ireland, the delivery of appropriate infrastructure, and how the waste collection market will operate over the coming years.
Work on updating the WAPCE will commence following the completion of the study to explore the feasibility, potential benefits and risks associated with transitioning our waste collection system from its current competitive licensing system to a franchise tendering system for local authority areas or regions.
39. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if a policy has been developed for the inspection of internal networks and collector cables referenced in the Private Wires Policy statement. [53491/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn July of this year, my Department published a Private Wires Policy Statement. The Policy Statement was developed following a public consultation process held in 2023 and extensive stakeholder engagement over the past two years. The policy clarifies the need for legislative reform pertaining to Private Wires in four specific circumstances. In addition, the Policy Statement addresses internal networks of renewable electricity projects.
The consultation process on Private Wires highlighted that wind and solar farms often have extensive networks of cables to collect generated electricity from individual wind turbines or panels and bring them to a central point where the farm connects to the national grid. There are no publicly adopted standards or mechanisms to inspect such networks.
My Department is working closely with stakeholders to develop the necessary Private Wires legislation and the issue of internal networks is part of that work.
40. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the uptake of the home energy upgrade loan scheme in its first year of operation, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53492/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme, which launched in April 2024, is intended to play a crucial role in helping homeowners invest in energy upgrades to make their homes warmer, healthier and more comfortable, with lower emissions and lower bills. It was developed by my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the European Investment Bank Group.
The scheme is available nationwide and homeowners can borrow from €5,000 to €75,000 on an unsecured basis for a term of up to 10 years at significantly lower interest rates to those currently on the market. Rates start from as low as 2.99% with price varying depending on the finance provider. PTSB was the first lender to join in April 2024, with AIB and Bank of Ireland joining in June 2024. In 2025 the group of participating lenders has been expanded to include Avant Money (in partnership with An Post) and seven credit unions from the Irish League of Credit Unions.
The numbers of loans drawn down are reported by the SBCI to the Department on a quarterly basis. As of the end of June 2025, there were 580 loans drawn down since the launch of the scheme to a value of €28.5 million.
The Deputy may wish to note that as uptake figures in certain counties mean that it could be possible to identify individual homeowners, county figures have not been disclosed. Instead, uptake figures by region to end June 2025 are provided in the following table.
In line with the Programme for Government, in addition to expanding the number of lenders under the scheme, a key focus of my Department across 2025 has been the continued promotion of the scheme to drive uptake. My Department has engaged with the SEAI, the SBCI and several lenders to examine and identify opportunities to further promote the scheme. This also includes the progression of a marketing and communications campaign to scale up activity in the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme.
|
Region |
Number of Loans |
Loan Value |
Average Loan Size |
|
Border |
75 |
€3,965,202 |
€52,869 |
|
Dublin |
170 |
€8,868,378 |
€52,167 |
|
Mid-East |
76 |
€3,414,160 |
€44,923 |
|
Midlands |
18 |
€862,526 |
€47,918 |
|
Mid-West |
61 |
€2,921,886 |
€47,900 |
|
South-East |
39 |
€1,745,738 |
€44,763 |
|
South-West |
82 |
€3,955,581 |
€48,239 |
|
West |
59 |
€2,776,922 |
€47,066 |
|
Total |
580 |
€28,510,393 |
€49,156 |
41. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the number of home energy upgrades completed to date in 2025, by county; the way in which this compares with the same periods of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53493/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their buildings through grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings, as well as solar PV and heat pump installation.
From 2020 to end August 2025, the SEAI schemes have provided €1.38 billion support to homeowners for 198,714 home energy upgrades. This year, a record budget allocation of over €550 million for the SEAI will support over 64,500 home energy upgrades and build on the momentum seen in recent years.
The specific data sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of home energy upgrades across the SEAI Residential and Community Retrofit Schemes from January to date in 2025, compared with data for the same period between 2020 and 2024, is an operational matter for the SEAI, an agency under the aegis of my Department. It is suggested that the Deputy contact the SEAI directly in relation to this matter. The SEAI has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that such queries can be addressed promptly and in line with the SEAI’s objective to deliver services to the highest standards. The email address is: oireachtas@seai.ie
The Deputy might also wish to note that the SEAI has published full year and quarterly reports on its website which provide more detail in relation to the retrofits carried out under SEAI schemes, including on property upgrades by county by year.
The full year 2024 report can be found at: www.seai.ie/sites/default/files/publications/SEAI-Retrofit-Full-Year-Report-2024.pdf) [SEAI-Retrofit-Full-Year-Report-2024.pdf]
The most recently published quarter 1 2025 report is at: www.seai.ie/sites/default/files/publications/SEAI-Retrofit-Quarterly-Report-Q1-2025.pdf
42. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason, in the current consultation process on National Territory Mapping for Renewable Electricity, the maps provided are only available in static PDF format with shaded areas, without scalable or detailed layers showing towns, townlands and other reference points; if he will confirm the reason these maps have not been made available as layers on the Government's own Tailte Éireann National Geospatial Data Hub; if he will commit to publishing these datasets in an accessible and interactive format to enable full public engagement; and if he will extend the consultation deadline in light of the difficulty members of the public currently face in interpreting the proposed areas. [53551/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe coordinated mapping of the national territory for the purposes of the recast Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), has been undertaken based on lands already identified for grid scale renewable electricity, in several existing City/County Development Plans. These plans have been subject to environmental assessments and statutory public consultation (in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended) and are adopted by the Elected Members of each local authority.
For the purposes of this Public Consultation the mapping is available in PDF/PNG formats only, as hosted on the Department’s website. The mapping has been made available in these formats to allow for access across a range of devices and platforms and for all users. For detailed local level mapping information, contact can be made directly with local authorities. The current Article 15b mapping can be cross-referenced against any such relevant City/County Development Plan, Wind Energy Strategy or Renewable Energy Strategy.
It is important to note that the Article 15b national territory mapping does not alter or amend any existing City/County Development Plans nor does it affect their status under any enactment. The coordinated national territory mapping has been generated, solely, to meet the obligations of the State under RED III Article 15b. The closing date for submissions is Friday 10 October 2025 at 5.30pm.
43. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he is aware of the concerns regarding pass-through costs on commercial energy bills (details supplied); if he is satisfied that all regulations are being adhered to; if he has engaged with the CRU to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53699/25]
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 CRU is an independent regulator, accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas and not to me as Minister.
Under the Programme for Government 2025, we have committed to commissioning an independent review into the speed and level of pass through from wholesale prices to retail prices, with an additional assessment of the overall price dynamics and an overall focus on the competitiveness of the Irish economy. This is a priority and my Department has established a cross-Government National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT) to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses, while delivering key renewable commitments and protecting security of supply and economic stability.
The core objectives of the Taskforce include drafting an Interim Report identifying measures to support energy consumers as past of Budget 2026, and an Energy Affordability Action plan, which will examine measures and structural reforms to lower costs for households and businesses. The NEAT Interim Report is currently being finalised.
44. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason the application for the SEAI warmer homes scheme does not include a mechanism to apply under the deserted wives payment (details supplied); and if he will direct SEAI to include this payment in their options. [53784/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people at risk of 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 the carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund.
Last year saw a record spend of almost €230 million under the scheme. This resulted in 7,743 upgrades being provided to low-income households, a 31% increase on 2023. This year’s budget includes an allocation of €280 million for the Warmer Homes Scheme, representing an 11-fold increase on the 2020 expenditure figure.
The Warmer Homes Scheme is available to owner-occupied properties, based on the householder being in receipt of certain Department of Social Protection income supports. The scheme targets support to those on the lowest incomes who are living in the least efficient homes so that the resources available can have the greatest impact in addressing energy poverty. The scheme eligibility criteria are kept under ongoing review by my Department, together with the Department of Social Protection, to ensure they are consistent with, and complementary to, the income support schemes offered.
The 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 or the Department of Social Protection. Details are available at: www.gov.ie/en/service/4eb45-additional-needs-payment/
• The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme is available to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out. The scheme is administered by Local Authorities. Details are available at: www.gov.ie/en/service/1ca60-housing-aid-for-older-people-grant/
