The Irish Government has unveiled a new package of financial support to help homeowners make energy efficiency improvements and lower their bills while protecting the environment.
The programme aims to retrofit one-third of the country’s housing stock and make nearly half a million home energy upgrades by 2030.
The Irish plan includes a new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme designer to provide increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit.
A budget allocation of €109 million (£91.7m) has also been provided to support an increase in the number of free home upgrades, from an average of 177 per month in 2021 to 400 per month this year.
The free home upgrades will be offered to those who face a bigger risk of fuel poverty, Irish Ministers said.
Grants for cavity wall and attic insulation will more than triple, as part of the government’s response to the current exceptionally high energy prices.
For example, in the case of a semi-detached home, the attic insulation grant will increase from €400 (£336) to €1,300 (£1,094) and the cavity wall insulation grant will increase from €400 (£336) to €1,200 (£1,010).
Ireland’s Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Transport Eamon Ryan said: “The urgent nature of the climate crisis and the energy price crisis means that we must act to reduce our energy use and to reduce the cost of heating our homes.
“The unprecedent commitment from the government and indeed all politicians in Ireland, to focus on improving our homes as a centre-piece of climate action is demonstrated here today. We have a 30-year task of transforming our homes.”
