€2.4million for the retrofit of Tipperary homes

placeholder image — "The improvement works in lieu of social housing are available for those who have qualified for social housing but remain in private accommodation. These funds will allow for individuals or families living in such houses to have necessary work done to their homes to bring it up to a comfortable and suitable standard.”

This work will enhance air quality in the home and those currently using oil or gas will see savings on energy bills.

Tipperary TD's Jackie Cahill and Micahel Lowry have welcomed news that Tipperary is to benefit from a total of €2.4 million for home retrofitting projects.

This funding, announced by the Fianna Fáil Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien T.D. will see almost €1.3 million allocated through the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme for Social Housing.

This funding will be used to carry out retrofits on 47 social housing units in the county. This is on top of a further €1.1 million which has been allocated to Tipperary under the Midlands Retrofit Just Transition Scheme.

Commenting on this considerable investment in Tipperary homes, Deputy Cahill said: “The Programme for Government 2020 set challenging and ambitious targets over the next ten years aimed at Ireland’s objective of reducing its carbon emissions by more than half while also seriously tackling and solving the housing crisis.

"With approximately 40% of Ireland’s energy-related carbon emissions coming from buildings alone, one of the key objectives of the PfG is the target of retrofitting reaching over 500,000 homes by 2030, of which it is expected that approximately 36,500 of those with be local authority owned homes. In the case of Tipperary, today’s announcement sees us receive the largest allocation for the most ambitious retrofit scheme or any midlands Local Authority and this is very welcome news indeed.”

The Tipperary Fianna Fáil T.D. continue to acknowledge the “undeniable levels of hard work that Minister O’Brien is putting into tackling the housing crises while also investing in social housing units in Tipperary. Minister O’Brien has already informed me that 131 social homes in Tipperary were brought out of long term dereliction and back into the social housing pool last year alone. This further investment of almost €1.3 million to improve energy and heating standards of a further 47 social housing units in Tipperary. This means that we have more social housing units in Tipperary and they are warmer, more energy efficient and more comfortable for the individuals and families who live in them.”

Deputy Lowry says he is pleased that this important piece of infrastructure is being upgraded and he thanked Minister Eamon Ryan for his co-operation and support on the matter.

Meanwhile Deputy Michael Lowry said the total spend of €35 million in this initial allocation and the remaining €10 million will be allocated to Local Authorities who demonstrate an ability to complete the additional work and spend the full allocation in 2021. This funding will retrofit an expected total of 2,400 social homes across the country.

"In addition to benefiting the homeowner, who will have warmer, easier to heat and more comfortable homes, this work will enhance air quality in the home and those currently using oil or gas will see savings on energy bills.

"Retrofitting homes is a highly labour-intensive sector and can create high-quality, sustainable jobs in local communities throughout the country, and has the capacity to play an important role in our economic recovery," said Deputy Lowry.