Greens slash Greener Homes Scheme by €4m

A key energy-saving scheme for homes which is overseen by Green Party Energy Minister Eamon Ryan has had its funding slashed by €4 million, even though increasing numbers of homeowners are signing up to the scheme, Fine Gael Energy Spokesperson Simon Coveney TD said.

During Question Time in the Dáil, Deputy Coveney pointed out to Minister Ryan that the 2008 allocation for the Greener Homes Scheme is around €4 million less than what it received last year.

“It is astonishing that Minister Ryan has admitted that he expects demand to grow in 2008 and yet acknowledged a cut in funding for the scheme. While Minister Ryan talks of an increased priority for energy conservation, these words ring hollow when you look at the Budget allocation for the demand-led Greener Homes Scheme for 2008. Last year, Sustainable Energy Ireland allocated €30 million to the scheme. Yet this year, even though demand has increased, the scheme has only been allocated €26million

“The Greener Homes Scheme has been a great success in terms of encouraging homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their houses. We need to build on that success. Instead, while Minister Ryan claims that his budgetary allocation has increased on last year, there has clearly been a cut specifically in relation to the Greener Homes Scheme.

“I am calling on the Minister to do everything he can to ensure that people applying for grants to reduce the emissions from their homes are not turned away.”