Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
103. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the efforts to date to “support group retrofitting projects” as outlined in the Programme For Government; the number of homes that have been retrofitted as part of “group retrofitting projects” to date in 2025; the motivation for this policy measure; and the learnings have been derived thus far. [73027/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra104. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the progress to date on the commitment in the Programme For Government to “Build on the pilot schemes and develop a mechanism to allow private homes in social housing estates to opt into retrofitting projects at an adjusted cost, creating a fair opportunity for all residents”; to report on said pilot schemes including when they began, the number of homes that have been retrofitted as part of these pilots, and the learnings that have been derived thus far; and will a report be published. [73028/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 104 together.
My Department funds a number of grant schemes administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners, businesses and communities improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, and to promote the adoption of renewable energy systems. These schemes include grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g. insulation) as well as solar PV and heat pump installations.
The Community Energy Grant (CEG) Scheme supports cross-sectoral, 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, encompassing energy-poor, private, rental, and approved housing body homes.
In 2024, the CEG Scheme commenced an initiative to examine area-based retrofits, aimed at upgrading homes in an integrated way in a specific geographical area. The area-based pilot continues to be progressed by the SEAI by gathering data on technical aspects, materials, products, and installation costs. By early November 2025, the number of homes contracted had increased to 95 across 3 projects.
I would also refer the Deputy to my previous replies to Parliamentary Questions no. 10 and 11 of 16 July 2025: www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025-07-16/10/#pq_10
The SEAI also 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.
