The Government’s new home insulation scheme will either see homes throughout Galway made more energy efficient or be so under costed that fewer homes will be insulated than is hoped.
This week the Government announced that €100 million has been set aside to insulate homes and make them energy efficient. However opinion is divided on how realistic and effective the scheme will be.
The Home Energy Saving Scheme is for private, middle income, homes. It will provide funding for insulations for roofs, cavity walls, internal and external wall insulation, and a heating control upgrade.
The Warmer Homes Scheme is part of the Low Income Housing Programme and is aimed at those on low incomes or a social welfare allowance. It will provide for the installation of energy efficiency measures in low income and local authority housing through community based organisations.
Energy efficiency improvements include upgrading the fabric of the building with attic and cavity wall insulation, draught proofing, and providing lagging jackets.
The announcement has been welcomed by Green Cllr Niall Ó Brolcháin and Galway East TD Noel Tracey.
The scheme will open to the public in March and both men say those who take advantage of the scheme can expect to reduce their heating bills by up to €700 per year.
“I would encourage anyone who is considering insulating their homes to apply for this programme,” said Dep Tracey. “I would also encourage people whose homes are not currently insulated to look into these schemes as there are major cost savings to be made.”
The Government estimates that 4,000 direct and indirect jobs will be created throughout the 50,000 homes which have to be upgraded.
Cllr Ó Brolcháin said the programme is worth €100 million to the economy and has the potential to “create hundreds of lasting, local jobs”, through the need to refurbish local authority housing and in supplying materials.
“Energy efficiency has a huge potential for our economy,” he said. “Better insulation will lead to warmer and more comfortable homes, lower gas and electricity bills, and many more jobs in our communities.”
However much criticism has been levelled at the new grant scheme. The Renewable Energy Skills Skillnet has described the €100 million national insulation programme as “a drop in the ocean”, and said €2.73 billion is required to properly insulate and heat homes. For this RESS utilised figures from a recent report by the Irish Institute for International and European Affairs.
RESS chairperson Johnny Flynn said in order for the €100 million scheme to be fully taken up this year, householders will be required to invest a matching €200 million to bring their homes up to the 2018 standard.
“This combined €300 million investment will only lead to five to 10 per cent of Ireland’s poorly insulated homes being upgraded sufficiently,” he said “The reality is that the Government will have to provide an estimated €200 million annually for the next 10 years so as to ensure Ireland achieves the required building efficiency ratings.”
RESS has also called on the Government and Sustainable Energy Ireland to consider expanding the Greener Homes Scheme to include Galway’s many local authority rented accommodation units.
