Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 December 2025
19. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the number of home energy upgrades carried out under the warmer homes scheme to date in 2025, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68554/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra33. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the average waiting time for the warmer home scheme currently; the average waiting time for each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67750/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra34. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the number of warmer home schemes completed to date in 2025, by county; the number per county for the past three years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67751/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 33 and 34 together.
The 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 carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund.
Increased awareness of the multiple benefits of retrofit and improvements to the Warmer Homes Scheme is driving increased levels of demand for the scheme with over 45,700 applications received over the period from January 2022 to end October 2025. The increase in depth of retrofit to an average value of just over €29,000 per home is also reflected in the waiting times as more significant works take a longer time per home to complete.
The average waiting time under the Warmer Homes Scheme, from application to completion of upgrade works, to date in 2025 was 21 months for the worst performing homes and 22 months for better performing homes. The represents a decrease from an average of 26 months for homes completed in 2022.
The reduction in waiting times follows a range of measures introduced by my Department and the SEAI. These include the allocation of additional staff to the Warmer Homes Scheme; a significantly increased budget allocation; active contract engagement and management by the SEAI to increase contractor output; as well as actions to address ongoing supply chain pressures. The SEAI are currently re-tendering for a new, expanded contractor panel for the scheme. This new tender will make it easier for successful contractors to engage sub-contractors and will enable a further significant scale-up in delivery of the scheme.
The SEAI publish indicative wait times on their website for each stage of the process. This is available here: [Warmer Homes Scheme waiting times]
The average waiting time and homes completed for the Warmer Home Scheme from January 2025 to end of October 2025, and for each of the past three years, is set out in the table below:
|
Year |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 Jan-Oct |
|
Wait Times |
26 |
20 |
P1 Homes= 18 P2 Homes= 19 |
P1 Homes=21 P2 Homes=22 |
|
Homes Completed |
4,264 |
5,897 |
7,743 |
6,686 |
The specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to waiting times and homes completed on a county by county basis, are operational matters and are not routinely supplied by the SEAI to my Department. It is suggested that the Deputy contact the SEAI directly in relation to these matters. 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.
Delivering free energy upgrades to low-income households and reducing the waiting times for the Warmer Homes Scheme is a key priority for my Department and the SEAI. My officials continue to work with the SEAI to maximise and accelerate the output of fully-funded energy upgrades provided under this important scheme.
