€30m energy efficiency boost

This year, €30m will be invested in upgrading the energy efficiency of local authority homes, Glasnevin, Ballymun, Santry and Whitehall candidate Noel Rock has noted, with €5.25m going to the Dublin City Council area.

The funding is part of a three year jobs stimulus programme that will see the energy efficiency of 25,000 of the poorest insulated local authority homes improved.

“An initial allocation of €15m, with €2.5m for Dublin City Council alone, for energy efficiency measures was announced today for 2014,” Mr. Rock explained.  “This funding should substantially complete the first phase of the insulation programme announced in June 2013 and ensure that every local authority house will have at a minimum draught proofing, attic insulation and where appropriate cavity wall insulation.”

“In 2013 more than 13,000 homes benefitted from this energy efficiency measure.  The €15m – €2.5m in Dublin –  initial allocation will focus on completing the cavity wall, draught proofing and attic insulation phase of the initiative.  The majority of this work is expected to be complete in most local authority areas by mid-year,” he outlined.

“When Phase 1 is complete, a further €15m – €2.6m in our local Council area –  will be allocated for more intensive insulation measures that focus on the external or internal insulation of houses with solid or hollow block construction.  In this second phase of works, single glazed windows or particularly poor performing windows and doors can be replaced.

“I very much welcome this programme, which is creating warmer homes and lower energy bills to thousands of local authority tenants.  It is also supporting hundreds of jobs in the green energy sector, with many community-based organisations delivering the works and providing valuable training and experience to people who were unemployed,” Noel Rock concluded.

Note for Editors:

• The energy efficiency initiative for local authority houses was announced as part of the Government’s Jobs Stimulus Programme in June 2013.
• The initiative will see approximately 25,000 local authority homes upgraded by end 2015.
• To date more than 13,000 homes have benefited under Phase 1 of the initiative.
• Phase 1 is expected to be substantially completed by mid-year, with Phase 2 works commencing.
• Those local authorities that have already completed Phase 1 works can proceed to Phase 2 during the first half of 2014.
• It is expected that approximately 10,000 homes will benefit from Phase 1 and Phase 2 measures in 2014.

Appendix 1 –Energy Efficiency Insulation Measure 2014

Initial Allocation 2014

ENDS