The Sinn Féin TD for Louth and East Meath, Imelda Munster, has called on the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform to take an ‘active interest’ in the effectiveness and delivery of the €8 billion National Retrofit Plan.
At a meeting of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee, Deputy Munster challenged DPER officials on the delivery of the scheme to date, whether it provides value for money and if the scheme ‘fails those who are most in need, and for whom the scheme could have the greatest impact.’
Teachta Munster said: “I have significant concerns as to whether the National Retrofit Plan is fit-for-purpose and will represent value for money for the taxpayer.
“The scheme seems to primarily focus on complete deep retrofits, rather than less expensive and more accessible partial measures, so it’s benefiting those who have the ability to pay upfront above those who cannot.
“The main problem with the plan is that due to strict eligibility criteria and a lack of support for those unable to pay for works upfront, it actively de-prioritises many of those who have the greatest need.
“People who avail of deep retrofits have access to full suite of measures supported via the state grant, and in the future they will be able to fund their own contribution through state backed low-interest loans.
“It’s the complete opposite for people who can’t afford to complete a full retrofit at one time – they have access to fewer measures, and must take on 100% of the costs upfront, which effectively means they receive their support via a rebate.
“Retrofitting is a crucial tool in meeting our climate obligations – my worry is that this €8 billion plan is not being implemented in an effective manner.
“At the PAC this week I challenged DPER on their oversight of these schemes and I remain concerned that because they rightly believe that retrofitting is a positive initiative in principle, they are disinterested in expenditure outside that broad context.
“By 2025 €1.342 billion is expected to have been spent by the state on retrofitting. In my view it will be far too late in the day at that point to be conducting a value-for-money review – DPER need to put in place a framework today that will ensure such reviews are carried out periodically and on an ongoing basis to ensure the efficacy of this €8 billion investment of taxpayer’s money.”
