Homes retrofitted under revised Government programme will be warmer, easier to heat and more comfortable – Cummins

The Government’s revised and enhanced Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme for Social Housing will benefit householders in many ways, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Seanad spokesperson on Housing, Waterford Senator John Cummins, said: “Homes retrofitted under this scheme will be warmer, easier to heat and more comfortable.

“It will enhance air quality in the home and for those currently using oil or gas they will see savings on energy bills.

“Some €1,303,949 has been allocated to Waterford City and county with a target delivery of 48 units to be delivered.

“This is part of a wider investment of €45 million nationwide. I know all the funds will be put to very good use and hope it will be the first of many allocations in the coming years to tackle the retrofitting of our older council stock across the country.

“The investment will also contribute to the creation of jobs in Waterford.

“Retrofitting homes is a highly labour-intensive sector and can create high-quality, sustainable jobs in local communities both here and throughout the country, and has the capacity to play an important role in our economic recovery.”

Senator Cummins continued: “The 2021 Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme is a newly revised programme designed around the Programme for Government commitment with an important increase in funding support.

“This revised programme will see a significant upscaling – from a ‘shallow’ to ‘deeper retrofit’ – on what has been completed by local authorities in previous years and will target 2,400 social homes in total for upgrade works in 2021.

“The Programme for Government 2020 set challenging and ambitious targets over the next ten years aimed at Ireland’s objective of reducing its carbon emissions by more than half.

“With approximately 40% of Ireland’s energy-related carbon emissions coming from buildings alone, one of the key objectives of the Programme is the target of retrofitting reaching over 500,000 homes by 2030, of which it is expected that approximately 36,500 of those with be local authority owned homes.

“In response to this commitment the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting programme has been revised and enhanced for 2021.

“This will greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector and help Ireland reach its greenhouse gas emissions. Importantly, it will result in warmer, more comfortable homes which will benefit the health of all those living in them,” Senator Cummins concluded.

ENDS