167. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will make registration on an NSAI contractors register a mandatory condition for all SEAI supported spray foam insulation works, in order to ensure that grant funded installations are carried out only by trained, competent, and audited installers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62160/26]

My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Registration of contractors operating under these schemes is an operational matter for the SEAI. As Minister, I have no function in relation to the registration process and/or the quality assurance of individual registered contractors.

The energy efficiency measures introduced by my Department under the National Residential Plan, announced in January, include new and enhanced insulation grants, as well as increased grants for heat pumps.

A home energy upgrade or retrofit enhances the energy performance of a home but must also meet all the requirements of the Building Regulations and applicable NSAI Standards. The provision of works in compliance with these standards will ensure healthy and safe buildings.

The SEAI advise that their requirements for the installation of spray foam follow best practice and have been in place for over a decade. They are aligned with the recommendations published in 2024 by the UK Health and Safety Executive on the use of spray foam in sloped roofs. These recommendations in the UK Health and Safety Authority report have always been in place on the SEAI grant schemes for any insulation between the rafters in a home.

I also understand from the SEAI that the NSAI is in the process of developing a spray foam installers scheme that sets out requirements for both the distributor and installer. Installers will need to be registered for each certified spray foam insulation system; and will need to declare installer team(s) and names of all trained staff for surveying and installation of the product. The scheme will also have an audit mechanism, including a requirement to retain all relevant records for 10 years.

The SEAI has been engaged in the development of this scheme, and it is hoped that it will be launched by the end of the year. It is SEAI’s intention that in the future, only installations of spray foam insulation that fall under such an approval scheme would be supported by the SEAI.