Frank O’Rourke TD has called on the Minister for the Environment to clarify the future of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Deep Energy Retrofit Scheme
Deputy O’Rourke was commenting following confirmation from the SEAI that the scheme has run out of funding, with the demand far exceeding the level of funding available.
He explained, “There are homeowners in Kildare who are unsure of where they stand with their applications and worried about reimbursement. The demand for this deep retrofitting scheme is a clear indication that people are willing to make the necessary changes and play their part in tackling climate change, but they need to be able to access supports to carry out what can be very expensive works and they need to be confident in the scheme.”
“This latest issue is yet another example of Fine Gael mismanagement of its own policies. Only a few months ago the government launched a Climate Action plan with higher retrofitting targets and now today we have confirmation from the SEAI that it has reached its funding limit for this year and that new applications cannot be considered.”
“Just like the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan the government seems happy to don the hard hats, pose for photos, and announce new projects but the substance is not there. How can we expect people to make these big changes when they can’t be confident they’ll get the funding to do so? Minister Bruton needs to urgently clarify the situation for families who have already committed to these works and needs to tell us when a new retrofit scheme will be put in place.”