Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
395. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural
Resources the number of direct and indirect jobs created and sustained by investment in the
better energy: homes scheme for each of the past four years. [7868/12]
396. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural
Resources his assessment of the recent changes to the better energy: homes scheme grants
scheme has in terms of the take up of grants and jobs sustained. [7869/12]
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte): I propose
to take Questions Nos. 394 to 396, inclusive, together.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers Better Energy on behalf
of my Department. As announced in the context of the Budget, the Government has committed
significant funding of €76 million to the Better Energy Programme this year. The scheme was
launched in March 2009 and since then has paid out over €123m supporting 285,000 measures
in approximately 116,000 homes. The Programme will continue to sustain economic activity in
2012, supporting at least 4,500 jobs and realising anticipated energy savings of 340GWh.
Better Energy: Homes is a demand-led programme open to all homeowners of dwellings
built before 2006. The funding provision for 2012 allows for a similar number of transactions
as in 2011. The final number of homes upgraded this year will however depend on the number
of applications received from homeowners and the nature of the measures applied for.
Homeowners can apply for any number of measures so long as the minimum grant amount of
€400 for the first application is met. Number of homes completed and average grant levels are
as laid out as follows:
Year Number of Homes completed Average Grant Amount Per Home
2009 18,152 €893
2010 45,940 €984
2011 48,716 €1,183
2012 ( to date) 3,719 €1,168
The estimated number of jobs supported in this labour intensive market since the launch of
the scheme in 2009, are summarised as follows:
Year
No of jobs supported (whole of year)
2009 (from March 2009) 2,390
2010 4,950
2011 4,940
The scheme uptake and performance is monitored continuously relative to the objectives set
out above and the efficient utilisation of exchequer monies. The recent grant amount changes
followed a review of the actual costs incurred by homeowners on the various house types and
reflect increased cost competitiveness in this maturing market. It would not be possible to fully
assess any impact to demand or jobs as a result of the Budget adjustments, as it is still too soon
after the changes to make such a judgement.
State Assets
397. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and
Natural Resources if he will publish the report carried out by senior officials in his Department
498