€925K for retrofitting social houses in Cavan and Monaghan

Funding Announcement

Cavan and Monaghan local authorities have been allocated over €925,000 for retrofitting social houses in both counties.

The funding has been announced today by the Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, under the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme for Social Housing. An initial allocation of €35m has been made for the retrofitting of 1,293 homes.

Cavan County Council has been allocated €518,556 for 17 social houses; while Monaghan County Council is to receive €406,933 for works on 15 social houses.

The Programme for Government 2020 set targets for the next ten years aimed at reducing Ireland's carbon emissions by more than half. With approximately 40% of Ireland’s energy-related carbon emissions coming from buildings alone, one of the key objectives of the programme is the retrofitting of over 500,000 homes by 2030.

Retrofitted homes will benefit householders in many ways - they will be warmer, easier to heat, more comfortable and cheaper to heat.

Commenting Minister O’Brien said: "This revised programme will see a significant upscaling - from a ‘shallow’ to ‘deeper retrofit’ - on what has been completed by local authorities in previous years and will target 2,400 social homes in total for upgrade works in 2021.

“We are being realistic in our initial allocation and taking account of the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the works, which can take place. We are taking an equitable approach ensuring that allocations are calculated on the basis of the number of social housing units each local authority has, as a percentage of the overall national stock, as well as the ability of individual local authorities to complete the programme and draw down all funding in 2021.

"This also ensures that those local authorities who have the capacity to deliver more are facilitated so that the 2021 retrofitting target of 2,400 homes is reached and the budget is spent,” he said.

Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has welcomed the funding announcement.

"This retrofitting programme will enable a valuable upgrade of housing and also reduce carbon emissions. There will be great benefits to householders arising from these house repairs and will also ensure a reduction in home heating costs.

"This funding will also assist employment locally as retrofitting work is highly labour intensive. The Minister for Housing states that this is an initial allocation and further funding will be available later this year,” stated Deputy Smith.

Cavan Minister Heather Humphreys said there will also be spin-off benefits from the allocations.

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