101. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the extent to which the SEAI warmer homes scheme takes into account the age, degradation, and material inefficiency of existing cavity wall insulation when assessing a home’s eligibility for fully funded upgrades. [64370/26]

The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people at risk of energy poverty by providing fully funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through the carbon tax revenues and the European Regional Development Fund.

The Warmer Homes Scheme is available to owner-occupied properties, based on the householder being in receipt of certain Department of Social Protection income supports. The scheme targets support to those on the lowest incomes who are living in the least efficient homes so that the resources available can have the greatest impact in addressing energy poverty.

The Warmer Homes Scheme applies standard technical criteria designed to ensure measures can be delivered safely, consistently, and cost-effectively across eligible homes.

There are a number of home energy improvements offered as part of the Warmer Homes Scheme. The upgrades that will be recommended for a property will depend on many factors, including age, size, and type and condition of the property.

These can include:

• attic insulation and appropriate ventilation;

• wall insulation and appropriate ventilation – cavity wall, external wall or dry lining depending on the property;

• secondary measures – lagging jackets, draughtproofing, energy efficient lighting; and

• in certain circumstances, heating system and window replacements.

For each eligible home, the SEAI’s technical surveyor determines which upgrades can be installed and funded.

Under the Warmer Homes Scheme, a cavity wall will be assessed for the potential of pumping with bonded bead cavity wall insulation. Accurately assessing the condition, continuity and thermal performance of existing cavity wall insulation can be challenging without invasive investigation. While issues such as settlement, degradation or gaps may occur in some older cavity wall installations, assessing these conditions on a house-by-house basis would require specialist inspection methods and potentially intrusive surveys. Installing additional cavity insulation into walls that already contain insulation may create technical risks, including moisture-related issues or uneven performance where the existing material condition is uncertain.

Where cavity insulation is already present, alternative measures may be considered where technically appropriate and where they form part of the overall retrofit solution.

My Department and the SEAI will continue to ensure that grant schemes terms and conditions, eligibility criteria and rates are kept under review taking account of demand, research, innovation, evolving technology and other relevant factors.