Press release
€20 million allocated under Midlands Retrofit Project
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, has welcomed the approval given at Cabinet for the allocation of €20 million from Carbon Tax to eight local authorities under the Midlands Retrofit Project.
Under the proposed allocations Offaly, Laois, Kildare, Westmeath and Longford Local Authorities are to receive €3.33 million euro each and Roscommon, Galway and Tipperary are to receive €1.11 million euro each.
Works are expected to commence in Longford, Kildare and Galway in October and in Roscommon in November. The remaining four local authorities are currently commencing surveys.
Commenting, Minister O’Brien said:
"This allocation will provide for energy efficiency renovations to approximately 750 local authority homes. This funding will also help provide an economic stimulus to the regions most affected by Bord na Móna and ESB closures.
"The Programme for Government contains ambitious targets for retrofitting and this scheme marks the start of that and will upgrade the energy efficiency of social housing stock in the Midlands. It aims to upgrade properties to B2 Building Energy Rating or cost optimal level with heat pumps where appropriate."
Minister O’Brien concluded:
"The focus of the retrofit programme will begin in the midlands, where fossil fuel use is highest, and where communities have been negatively impacted by the closure of peat-fired power stations. It is expected that works to each dwelling will take approximately 3 to 4 weeks with minimal internal disruption to the occupants. I’d like to thank the Local Authorities for their work in this regard and look forward to this scheme progressing."
The funding of €20 million was allocated to the DHPLG in Budget 2020 from the Carbon Tax and is to be targeted at areas in the Midlands and provide for energy efficiency renovations to approximately 750 local authority homes.
ENDS