€523,091 allocated to retrofit 19 Longford homes
€523,091 has been allocated to Longford County Council to retrofit 19 homes and make them more energy efficient.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD announced an initial allocation of €35m for the retrofitting of 1,293 homes while the balance of funding (€10m) will then be allocated to the local authorities who demonstrate an ability to complete additional work and spend their full allocation during 2021.
Roscommon County Council received €345,200 towards retrofitting 13 units, Westmeath County Council received €498,398 for the retrofitting of 18 units and Cavan County Council received €518,556 towards 19 units.
The Programme for Government commits to retrofitting 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent BER standard by 2030. It is expected that approximately 36,500 of those with be local authority owned homes.
Longford Fine Gael Senator Micheál Carrigy said the €523,091 allocated to Longford Couty Council under the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme for Social Housing is in addition to the €3.3m which it was allocated in 2020 as part of the Midlands Retrofit Project.
Senator Carrigy added, "The retrofitting programme has been revised and enhanced for 2021, homes retrofitted under this programme will benefit householders in many ways, they will be warmer, easier to heat and more comfortable homes, it will enhance air quality in the home. This is good new for householders who have been struggling to heat their homes for years.”
Fianna Fáil Senator for Roscommon/Galway Eugene Murphy also welcomed the significant allocations and targets under the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme for Social Housing.
He said, "Last year we saw an allocation of €20m from Carbon Tax to eight local authorities under the Midlands Retrofit Project. This is significant funding and is helping provide an economic stimulus to the regions most affected by Bord na Móna and ESB closures in areas such as counties Longford and Offaly following the closure of Lough Ree and Shannonbridge power stations."