I am pleased to confirm that the 2025 funding round for the circular economy innovation grant scheme, CEIGS, was launched on 10 September. This scheme is a key driver of Ireland's transition to a circular economy supporting innovative projects led by social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations and small businesses. Since its launch in April 2021, we have awarded €1.8 million to 36 projects while tackling priority areas, such as food waste, plastics, single-use packaging, construction, textiles and general waste.

These projects are delivering real impact from BladeBridge repurposing wind turbines blades into public infrastructure to Happy Earth developing a compostable alternative to medical plastics. From 2025, the scheme will again be administered in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland with €650,000 in total funding available. Individual grants will range from €40,000 to €50,000 enabling a broad range of organisations to scale their ideas and deliver measurable circular outcomes. Projects under this round are expected to focus on plastics, construction circularity, food waste prevention and critical raw material recovery. These are all aligned to Ireland's circular economy strategy and our climate action plan. This scheme is not just about funding; it is also about accelerating innovation, empowering communities and shining a spotlight on many of these scalable solutions so they can be replicated nationwide.

I thank the Minister of State. I welcome the funding that has been spent in this important area. In the most recent round of funding, small commercial start-ups and SMEs dominated the list of companies that had been awarded funding with only two, The Rediscovery Centre and We Make Good, accurately described as community enterprises. While these commercial start-up contributions to the industrial transition to circularity are welcome, and indeed, go a long way to making the changes in mindset that the Minister of State has outlined his answer, there are non-profit social enterprises, such as ones I have visited in County Carlow, including the Be Kind Project, supported by Carlow County Development Partnership and the proposed midlands food retribution hub, which is a joint collaboration between Kilkenny LEADER Partnership and the Clean Technology Centre. They are just two local community enterprises in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny that could benefit not only from the CEIGS, but could also spread awareness of the circularity principles in their communities. While funding remains at a constant level, it is hard for these types of firms to make their case against commercial start-ups with large economic potential. Is consideration being given to expanding the grants going forward?

I am in full agreement that we need to continue to scale-up the scheme to sustain the investment by many SMEs and community organisations. That is why at the end of this year we will have allocated over €2.4 million. We need to continue on that trajectory of supporting many of these pioneering projects. I had the opportunity to visit the Irish Manufacturing Research facility in Mullingar to see the work of Circuléire. I have also been to the Rediscovery Centre. Tremendous work is being done, but the question is how we bring that to the next level. That is important because without funding and support, it is difficult. We want to deliver more ambition under this scheme. We look forward to many applicants putting forward their ideas. We have seen over 36 projects being supported last year. I hope we can ensure through a communications campaign that many areas across the country, including the Deputy's constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny, can be supported. I welcome any discussions on any projects brought to my attention.

That is music to my ears. I am glad to hear that. I wish to follow up on the Minister of State's point. There has been a large degree of support from the local authorities in Carlow and Kilkenny and they have been proactive with circular economy initiatives. For example, Carlow County Council recently completed a survey of businesses in the county to assess attitudes towards the circular economy and to inform future policy with regards to circularity in the county. Kilkenny County Council adopted a waste action plan from 2024 to 2030 showcasing the centrality of waste management and the circular economy initiatives within its area. That showcases a desire to promote the circular economy locally. As the Minister of State outlined, greater funding opportunities for community enterprises will absolutely align with the goals. However, to date, no organisation with a base in Carlow or Kilkenny has received any funding under the terms of the scheme. On their behalf, I commend the Minister of State on his work to date in the most important area and to encourage him to please continue to be as ambitious as he is in this regard to expand CEIGS funding further.

I thank the Deputy for her interest in this area. It needs to be a bottom-up, top-down led approach. We are looking to publish the draft of the circular economy strategy. A key area of focus will be targeted actions. Local authorities can play a huge part within the local government system. However, we need a stronger uptake around innovation in these areas. We will have a public consultation. We will welcome feedback from businesses, SMEs and many of the social enterprise organisations on what they would like to see this scheme comprising of. We are focusing on textiles, construction and packaging as being key principles in this scheme in terms of areas of priority. We have a journey to go on this. I look forward to building more initiatives within the circular economy in many areas across business and local authorities.

The home energy upgrade loan scheme, HEULS, was launched in April 2024. It is intended to play a crucial role in helping homeowners invest in their energy upgrades to make their homes warmer, healthier and more comfortable with lower emissions and lower bills. It was developed by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, and the European Investment Bank.

The scheme is available nationwide and homeowners can borrow from €5,000 to €75,000 on an unsecured basis for a term of up to ten years at significantly lower interest rates than those currently on the market. Rates start from as low as 2.99% depending on the finance provider. PTSB was the first lender to join in April 2024. AIB and Bank of Ireland joined in June 2024. In 2025, the group of participating lenders has been expanded to include Avant Money in partnership with An Post and seven credit unions from the Irish League of Credit Unions. By the end of 2024, 245 loans to a value of €11.9 million were drawn down, and by the end of June 2025 this had risen to 580 loans to a value of €28.5 million.

In line with the programme for Government, in addition to expanding the number of lenders under the scheme, a key focus of the Department across 2025 has been the continued promotion of the scheme to drive uptake.

This also includes the progression of a comprehensive marketing and communications campaign to scale up activity in the home energy upgrade loan scheme. While I am aware, and it can be seen from the numbers, that it probably did not drive on as quickly as people expected, now that there are the array of lenders and with that campaign being organised I expect there to be a significant uptake. The 3% interest rate in the current market is a very good rate and one we all have a duty insofar as we can to try to promote within our own spheres of influence.

I thank the Minister of State and welcome the progress made. I agree with him on the sentiments around interest rates and the take-up. The demand for retrofitting is definitely rising but we need to monitor the correlation of drawdowns versus retrofit. There is a body of work to be done here where there is essentially cash investment in retrofitting. It is welcome but I am not so sure the broader consumer understands the need to invest. We have many debates in this House about the need for energy credits and so on but we would be better served if we invested in this area for the longer term. The only way to bring down energy bills is by investing in renewables and that is the way forward.

In my county there are situations where central heating by peat fuel is up to 40% compared to a national average of 4%. Whether it is turf fuel or oil boilers the gap between those and heat pumps is significant and there is a body of work to be done to bridge that gap.

I thank the Deputy for pointing that out. That has been a feature. As we go to the air to water systems the costs are significant but the long-term rewards are real. When homes are brought up to a higher energy rating and appropriately insulated, there is a significant financial reward over time. When that is coupled with the use of solar panels, that reduces consumption in the first instance, thereby reducing bills. At the end of the day, society is changing a lot in being mindful of our CO2 emissions but until it is made financially feasible and viable people will not be minded to take the next step, which is to invest their own money in protecting the environment more generally. People are willing and better educated about the benefits for the wider aspect of society but I fully agree with the Deputy that we have to make this financially viable and demonstrate there is a financial return through reduced costs over time. Of course, upgrading somebody's home is improving an asset and preserving and protecting it into the future. I thank the Deputy for his interest.

For anyone to make a decision on a loan, he or she will consider three key, fundamental points. These are the interest rate, affordability and the loan term. That really determines whether it is feasible or viable. There is one particular cohort, which is our elderly, where the term of the loan may not make sense for them. There is a body of work to do on energy poverty and climate action. I would like to see HVO and wood pellets recognised as an intermediate measure. I mentioned the gap between peat fuel and heat pumps and I believe the likes of HVO and wood pellets should be recognised. There is also an immediate, easy fix, with no disruption to elderly people, through solar panels. We should consider a national scheme where there is free insulation, supported by an SEAI grant, with microgeneration actually funding the installers to the stage where it is paid for. The homeowner will get immediate benefit and will get the transfer of ownership once the full payment has been made. That is a measure we need to introduce for our elderly because right now, it is simply neither feasible nor viable to invest in retrofitting.

A scheme has been deployed for those most under threat of energy poverty where the entirety of the cost is recovered. That is clearly for those in low-income homes, whether they be elderly or significantly dependent on social supports. The Deputy should not hold me to this but I think 25,000 homes have been upgraded in that particular sphere. That is an area that can be looked at.

This will require further review but any investment in a home to reduce CO2 output, rather than going for the full retrofit, would be beneficial and helpful to the environment so it may be possible to look at some staging measures. I accept there are people for whom a ten-year cycle would be significant and would probably preclude them in terms of their own thinking. I am happy to take those issues on board and see what we can do in the future to devise a diverse range of schemes.

Has the DRS been a success? I am not just asking about the environmental aspect but about the financials behind the company, the percentage of unclaimed deposits and where that money has gone and the impact the scheme will have on families right across Ireland who may well experience higher bin collection fees as a result of the DRS.

The deposit return scheme was introduced in February 2024 to help Ireland to meet ambitious EU recycling targets and to encourage more sustainable consumer behaviour. I am pleased to report the scheme has made a strong start and is delivering on its core objectives. Re-turn, the not-for-profit operator, has seen the registration of 287 producers covering over 11,000 products and the installation of 2,750 reverse vending machines nationwide. These machines are now a familiar and effective part of recycling infrastructure, with financial support provided to small retailers to ensure widespread access.

The scheme is having a very positive environmental impact, according to the Coastwatch annual marine litter survey. The lowest levels of bottle and can litter on Irish shores was recorded in over 25 years in 2024. Similarly, IBAL reported a 50% drop in litter from bottles and cans since the scheme launched.

Beyond the environmental benefits, the DRS has enabled fundraising initiatives. The Return for Children campaign, developed with six major children’s charities, has raised over €215,000 to date, which is a powerful example of how circular economy initiatives can deliver social value alongside environmental gains. The DRS is a real and important element of circular economy measures and its early success reflects the strong collaboration between Government, producers, retailers and the community.

The deposit return scheme has become another tax but it is not like a normal tax that might be used to pay teachers, nurses and gardaí. This is a tax that is going into a private organisation. Last year, at the end of 2024 the company had more than 100 million deposits from unclaimed bottles and cans. Last year, the company had a cash pile of €90 million after expenses. The CEO's salary is not declared. That is what I am asking the Minister of State. I am not disputing the fact there has been an increase in recycling, which is welcome and positive. However, there are other aspects to this. This is a significant sum running to millions of euro. It is essentially a tax not used for the running of this State and that is what I am asking the Minister of State to address. Will he please deal with the question? Is he satisfied with the level of money and unclaimed items in the company? Where is that money going? How much are the staff and CEO being paid? The people of Ireland have no choice but to pay this tax.

I reassure the House that the unredeemed deposits are a normal and expected feature of deposit return schemes internationally. As of the end of 2024, €320 million had been refunded to consumers with €66 million remaining unclaimed. This is not a failure. It reflects the early phases of the scheme but it also will naturally reduce as we move forward towards our EU targets of 90% redemption. Importantly, these funds do not sit idle. Re-turn itself is a not-for-profit organisation.

They are being reinvested into the scheme. If we look at the 23% VAT liability, repaying initial start-up costs, expanding reverse vending machines, infrastructure, funding, educational campaigns and contributing to other contingency measures, the reinvestment is essential as part of the scheme. Will we see a reduction in that year on year. The Department is satisfied. It is under appropriate regulatory and administrative controls and we review it on annual basis.

It is over €66 million of unclaimed items in one year. The Minister of State has talked about controls. I have asked him how much the CEO is getting paid and what the salaries in this organisation are. That is the level of control I expect him to declare before us in the Dáil. It is unacceptable that he talks simply about the environmental aspect without addressing the issue the people of Ireland have, which is where the money is going, how much the CEO and senior management in return are getting paid and what the situation is regarding the bin companies. Is it the case that the recycling companies across Ireland will increase their fees? Will families across the country who are struggling in this cost-of-living crisis see their bin fees rise as a result of this? What is the Minister of State going to do to ensure families are protected?

The Deputy rightly asks the questions regarding the unredeemed deposits. I have outlined the reinvestment into the operational costs for setting up the DRS. I have also outlined-----

The salaries?

-----that we will see a reduction in those unredeemed deposits as we move forward with more campaigns and more informative education. We are also looking at expanding the DRS for municipal bulk machines to ensure people can come to municipal areas and to address that.

Regarding the salaries, as I said earlier, Re-turn is a not-for-profit organisation. Individual salaries are not reported to the Department. Re-turn is required to publish its overall remuneration and benefits costs in its annual report and that was published last July. From our perspective, we are in continuous engagement with Re-turn, which operates the scheme, and we want to see continuous improvement in how it is being led.

I thank Deputy McCarthy and note his interest in this important issue. The south coast designated maritime area plan, DMAP, was adopted by the Oireachtas in 2024 and designates four development areas for fixed-bottom offshore wind development. An auction process is due to commence on 22 September for the first of these areas, the so-called Tonn Nua site, with capacity for a 900 MW offshore wind farm. We anticipate that a winner will be announced for this site on 9 December. The Tonn Nua project is expected to be operational by 2034 subject to planning consent, which is the next wave of it.

Specifically then on the Deputy's area of concern, arrangements are being made to bring the remaining three south coast DMAP sites to market, ensuring a consistent pipeline of offshore developments will take place over the coming years. A further pipeline of development sites within the national DMAP will follow from 2028 onwards. However, the precise approach to bringing the remaining three south coast DMAP sites to auction may depend on a range of factors, including grid connection options, availability of engineering and environmental data, and market conditions. These matters are being examined in consultation with the offshore wind industry with a view to bringing the sites to auction from 2026 onwards.

Separately, just last week, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and I announced the publication of the national DMAP proposal and accompanying public participation statement. That national DMAP will ultimately designate renewable energy sites around Ireland’s coast that are suitable for offshore wind development, including fixed, floating and floating demonstration locations. The proposal set out information on the scope of the overall plan, timeframes and the required steps in the development of the DMAP over the next two years, as well as the Government’s commitment to extensive and inclusive consultation with the public and stakeholders throughout the process.

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I appreciate the efforts that are being made by his Department to progress the south coast DMAP options. I welcome the fact that the first offshore wind option for Tonn Nua areas is expected to begin shortly, with the contracts to be awarded before the end of the year. This is significant progress since the south coast DMAP was first approved last October but it is important that we continue this progress with the development of the other areas of Lí Ban, Manannán and Danu. The development of offshore wind is vital in ensuring our climate change targets and this project promotes sustainability and the security and reliability of supply. I therefore ask the Minister that the remaining options be progressed as soon as possible.

I know the Deputy's interest and concern in this from conversations and consultations that I, other Ministers and the Department have had with those who will seek to build out these facilities. The next auction, as I said, will be later this year. We are hopeful there will be a number of bidders. The important thing then for those who do not win is that they see a further opportunity. One will obviously win. There may be three, four or whatever number of others. It is important from our perspective that we can show that there is a pipeline of opportunities for the others to follow quickly. We are very conscious of that. Some work has to be done between the Department and EirGrid to develop options for further connecting the grid to lead on to those three sites within the overall DMAP. It is about giving certainty, first of all, that the Government is absolutely committed to offshore renewables and then showing that there is a pipeline, not just with those additional three but also around our coastline, as we progress towards 2040, by which point we have commitments to generate up to 20 GW of electricity off our shoreline. We are keenly aware of the necessity to do exactly as the Deputy has identified and I thank him for his interest in that area.

Will the Minister of State provide further information on the exact board of the implementation programme body, IPB? I understand that the IPB is set up to oversee the south coast DMAP but what is the exact make-up of the group and how often have they met to date? I believe the IPB is supported in its work by a marine ecosystems group and other working groups, which will develop an implementation plan and recommend the scope of regional land surveys. Has the membership of this group been decided yet, and if so, has an implementation plan been presented?

I do not have that information available to me today but I am happy to come back to the Deputy directly with it.

I appreciate that.

A study by UCC over the last number of years has identified that over 1 million homes in Ireland are suitable for solar and that one quarter of all electricity needed could be produced for those homes. It would have huge saving costs for homes. Unfortunately, though, low-income homes are often locked out of the ability to have solar because their households simply cannot afford it. The costs can run into the thousands. Will the Minister of State expand the warmer homes scheme to include solar and make a statement on the matter?

I thank Deputy Whitmore. The warmer homes scheme, operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on behalf of the Department, is really important in efforts to tackle energy poverty and improve the energy efficiency of homes for those most in need. It is fully funded through carbon tax receipts and the European Regional Development Fund. Last year saw a record spend of almost €230 million, resulting in 7,743 upgrades being provided to low-income households. This year, we have increased the budget to €280 million, allowing for deeper and more complex retrofits. The average cost of upgrades has risen from €2,600 in 2015 to over €29,000 in 2025, reflecting the scale and ambition of the programme. The scheme follows a fabric-first approach, prioritising installation and ventilation to reduce heat loss before replacing heating systems in line with building regulations and best practice. At present, solar PV is not offered as a standard upgrade under the scheme. However, the SEAI is piloting the installation of renewable technologies, including heat pumps and, in a small number of cases, solar PV where major renovations are taking place.

These pilots are helping us assess the suitability of such technologies in the context of energy poverty and long-term value for money. The scope of upgrades under the scheme is kept under ongoing review and my Department continues to work closely with the SEAI to ensure we maximise the impact of every euro spent.

The homes built before 2011 are eligible for part-funded solar PV grants under separate SEAI programmes. We remain committed to ensuring that low-income households benefit from Ireland's renewable energy transition and will continue to explore how best to integrate solar and other technologies into our energy poverty programmes.

The Minister of State will be aware that in 2022, approximately 30% of households in Ireland were considered to be at risk of energy poverty. We are continuing to see the extraordinary stresses that are being put on homes because of the high cost of living, of which a huge component is energy costs. Over recent days and weeks, companies have again been increasing their electricity charges, despite the fact that Ireland has the third highest electricity charges in Europe, which is approximately €350 extra on each home. Companies like Bord Gáis and Energia are increasing those prices further, to the extent that it could impose over €200 onto households. We need to look at having long-term and sustainable ways of making households resilient and particularly those which are at risk of energy poverty. Solar panels are an area that could offer this but they have largely been ignored by the Government for low-income homes because the priority has been on retrofitting.

I absolutely share the Deputy's concerns about the high energy bills. That is why we want to ensure that equity is at the heart of our energy transition. The warmer homes scheme is designed to deliver maximum bill savings per euro spent for those most in need. Many of these homes, it is often said, could be cold, damp and poorly insulated. Basic installation can cut energy costs by up to 30%. It is really important that the warmer homes scheme be continued. It has been a game-changer in energy reductions for many homes. On the other hand, solar PV itself without proper installation has only limited benefits because the home continues to leak heat. From our perspective, it does not mean solar PV is off the table. We are piloting solar in some cases and it is really important that this informs future decisions and how we move forward with this initiative.

I know that is the argument that has been put forward over the last number of years but the majority of electricity units in someone's home are used to heat water, so there will not be any leakage from that. That is where a lot of the expenses are. If we can actually heat someone's water, we are going to save them a lot of money on their electricity bills.

In relation to all those companies that are hiking their electricity charges, the Taoiseach said yesterday that there needs to be a focus on them and I absolutely agree. They are hiking their charges and saying it is because of the increase in the grid charges, yet that is not 100% correct. They are hiking the charges way beyond the cost the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and the ESB are putting onto the extra grid charges. Will the Minister of State relay to the Minister that he needs to bring in those companies? There needs to be a very serious conversation with them to say that they cannot continue to hike prices and put pressure on families. They have done it enough and now it is time to give families a break on this.

I can confirm to the House that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has written to the energy suppliers and is preparing to meet them over the coming weeks in regard to the challenges around costs. This Government is very much focused on responding through the warmer homes scheme. This year, we have increased the level of funding to €280 million to fully fund upgrades for those who are most at risk and we are also looking at deep retrofits for transforming homes, reducing bills and improving health outcomes. This is on top of the measures to address the immediate affordability challenges, whereby we have extended the 9% VAT rate on energy. We have established the national energy affordability task force, which will bring forward measures before the budget. We are very much cognisant of the need to ensure we have a balanced approach to protecting households but also future-proofing them.

A lot of wind programmes are currently in planning. Will the Minister of State indicate what the capacity would be if all of those planning permissions were to come good and deliver those wind projects? What would be the capacity at that stage?

Wind generation is supported mainly through the legacy renewable energy feed-in tariff, REFIT, schemes and the renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, and funded also through public service obligations, PSO. These supports are a critical enabler of the investment needed to underpin a renewables-led energy system.

Over the 2025-26 PSO year, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities reports that over 3.3 GW of wind capacity was supported by the PSO. Of this, more than 2.9 GW was supported under the REFIT and over 0.4 GW under the RESS, with over 1 GW of solar also supported under the RESS. In addition to that capacity, some wind farms operate without PSO support, selling directly into the market or under private power-purchase agreements. Taking all of them into account, the total installed wind generation capacity has reached over 5 GW. Industry sources indicate that approximately 2.5 GW of onshore wind capacity has secured planning permission but is not yet built and that another approximate 1.5 GW of projects are seeking planning permission or are the subject of judicial review.

The Government remains committed to the development of 5 GW of offshore wind capacity with projects in construction by 2030 and energised as soon as feasible thereafter. Projects from the ORESS-1, accounting for 3 GW, are progressing through the planning process within An Comisiún Pleanála. Separately, the 900 MW Tonn Nua site within the south coast DMAP will go to auction this autumn.

Delivering on this capacity, combined with our 5 GW of existing installed wind capacity, will bring us closer to achieving our national ambition of 9 GW of onshore wind and 5 GW of offshore wind in the very near future.

That is all welcome news. In my constituency, there are a number of plans relating to offshore wind. We do not really have the land space to be developing much in the way of onshore wind in Dún Laoghaire but there are two particular projects in the Dublin Array and the Codling Wind Park that will deliver a lot, not just in clean energy but also for the facilities onshore and the use of Dún Laoghaire Harbour to help deliver that. In the context of a windy island like Ireland, the importance of building our capacity, particularly in offshore wind, cannot be understated. We have a real opportunity here. Notwithstanding what the Minister of State has said, how can we speed up the process to ensure that even where things are controversial, we deliver offshore wind in a way that will benefit everybody in this country and on this island?

The Deputy will be aware that with the passage of the national marine planning legislation back in 2021 we introduced through the designated marine area plans an approach to identifying those sites and engaging with stakeholders in a very open and transparent way. This has worked well. Our first DMAP was launched in this House in October of last year and was not judicially reviewed, which to me was a clear indication that the process and the legislative basis on which it was founded is working. It is about that kind of engagement and planning ahead. The approach we had taken up to this was about leaving it up to developers to identify sites. They were known as the phase 1 projects, such as the two the Deputy referred to. The Government moved from that to a plan-led approach whereby the State will identify the areas that are suitable and will work with communities and stakeholders to try to ensure that there is not that level of objection when it goes to the planning process. This is what we are doing now. We announced last Friday a full national DMAP, to follow on from the one in existence, to ensure a plan-led approach and a consultative approach with stakeholders, whether they be fishermen, other sea users or the communities where the infrastructure will have to be built in the first instance to serve the sites or where a grid will have to be built to bring it ashore.

While we were slow getting started, we have an appropriate system in place now that I feel is certainly working but the important thing is to get it moving as quickly as possible.

The Minister of State put his finger on it with regard to public consultation. Some of these projects can be very controversial and it is really important to bring people with them and show them the benefit of the project not only to us all but also to local communities.

In the context of the two projects I mentioned to the Minister of State, I know from speaking to people in Dún Laoghaire that there are two major concerns. One is the loss of visual amenity. As you look out across places like Dalkey Island that have remained unchanged nearly since Viking times, there is a loss of visual amenity. I acknowledge that but in weighing the two up, the balance of correctness, if I could put it that way, lies in building the wind farms.

The other concerns people talk about are environmental impacts, particularly on the sea bed, with regard to plankton farms and sites for the growing of important micro-organisms within the sea. My understanding is the experience from Scotland and the North Sea is that these wind farms create small biospheres where, in fact, the biodiversity increases. Can we help communicate to people that while there may be downsides, the upsides grossly outweigh them in all of these projects?

The Deputy has raised an important point on the environmental aspect, and the construction of certain structures can have that ability to pull together those microsystems. Part of my role in the Department is about ensuring that we meet our commitments - Deputy Whitmore will be familiar with this - in regard to the marine protected areas, an important feature and commitment that we have given to designate 30% of our seas by 2030. In that context, under the same legislation, we hope to move relatively quickly on that. It will not preclude certain development on certain sites that are to be protected from a marine environmental protection perspective, and can give rise to assisting the growth and development of certain biodiversity that was under threat or has already been lost in a significant way. We are trying to advance the two pieces together, both identifying the areas suitable for development for the generation of electricity and protecting our marine environment in line with our international commitments.

I call Deputy Malcolm Byrne.

Will the Minister of State provide an update on the private wires policy?

That is Question No. 95.

We have skipped ahead. I will have to get that for the Deputy. I do not seem to have that.

Question No. 95.

I will have to get that. Does the Leas-Cheann Comhairle want to go on to the next one and I will come back to that?

We can take Question No. 97 while we are waiting.

We have seen an increase in electricity demand and rightly we are focusing on renewable energy. However, we have major challenges in meeting our 2030 and 2050 climate targets. Indeed, the climate action plan commits to 80% renewable energy by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Has the Minister of State's Department assessed the potential of nuclear energy in Ireland's future energy mix?

There seems to be an issue with my questions here.

The Minister of State can speak off the cuff.

I may be required to do that. The Deputy has raised the important issue of-----

It is Question No. 97.

Yes. Nuclear fission-powered electricity generation plants are prohibited in Ireland. The use of nuclear fission for the generation of electricity in Ireland is statutorily prohibited under section 18(6) of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999. It is also of note that no action on nuclear power was included as part of the programme for Government in 2025, Securing Ireland's Future. The programme for Government does not, however, set out the commitment of this Government to achieving 80% of Ireland's electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030.

Our climate action plans recognise that enabling such a transformation of our energy systems will also require a range of supporting measures. This will involve the development of a balanced portfolio of technologies, including storage, to complement other measures such as demand-side response, network development and interconnection to ensure a safe and secure electricity system with increased levels of renewables.

I appreciate that the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 prohibits nuclear power generation in this country and that the programme for Government focuses on renewable energy. I completely understand that, but the question relates to any type of consideration given to nuclear. We look at the likes of small modular reactors that create between 50 MW and 300 MW of energy. What I am saying here is that it is not a completely clean source of energy but it is a cleaner source of energy than fossil fuels. If we really want to achieve our climate targets, we need to look at all avenues available to the State. In particular, I look at the small modular reactors that can be built a lot more quickly. They are smaller and not as large in scale as some of the larger reactors we are aware of in the UK and the US. These SMRs are being developed in the UK, across Europe - in Poland, for example - and in the US and Canada, so we need to start modelling out what the benefits would be to the State if we were to go down the route of these potential SMRs.

In support of my colleague Deputy Ó Cearúil, I think we need to explore nuclear as a potential option. We are all very supportive, for instance, of the Celtic interconnector between Ireland and France, where there is the possibility that we will be obtaining some of our energy from France. Last year, up to 68% of all of France's energy was generated by nuclear power. If we acquire energy from Scotland, similarly, some of that is going to be generated by nuclear.

The debate on nuclear has moved on. I totally understand that in the past we had safety concerns but as a cleaner energy source, while I accept there are issues around how we may dispose of some of the waste, it is something that needs to be considered. I back my colleague in that we really do need to have a debate on it.

I thank both Deputies. I know of their personal interest because both of them, on many occasions, have spoken to me about the necessity to look at that. The Government has taken a decision, and it is a decision that is probably based on historical context, going back to the early seventies when there were proposals at Carnsore to build a nuclear facility and there was a very significant public outcry. I do not think it has ever been revisited since. I take the Deputy's point regarding the newer technologies and small-scale nuclear reactors, which are still somewhat commercially available but there are only a couple of examples, as I understand it, around the world where they are deployed. Other countries have a march on it and are ahead of us on that, and they have built a wealth of experience and knowledge in that area. It is a bit like recognising what you are good at, and we have become good at renewables. We have become good at wind, we are getting really good at solar and we are now starting to embrace, on a wave of investment, offshore. That is where we should focus our attention.

I thank the Minister of State.

If you look at the capacity to generate so much electricity, particularly but not exclusively off our west coast, it far outweighs the issues around nuclear. I am also conscious-----

I thank the Minister of State.

-----of how difficult it is, and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will appreciate this-----

This is buying you time, is it?

-----to get permission for a wind turbine. Failing to get permission for a wind turbine and introducing a small-scale nuclear reactor-----

You should conclude, Minister.

-----might not be that much easier.

I recognise the expertise this State has garnered in offshore and onshore wind energy and indeed solar. I was at the launch of the Timahoe North Solar Farm in Kildare only three weeks ago, an excellent facility that will provide energy to a significant number of people in Kildare and across the country. However, my argument here is that if we look to Belgium, for example, it recently extended the operation of two nuclear reactors. These will supply 15% of national electricity demand and help reduce reliance on gas imports. France approved the construction of six new large reactors in 2022, which are expected to meet 10% of electricity demand. The UK, for example, under its 2022 energy security strategy, plans to build eight large reactors and develop small modular reactors, the SMRs that I mentioned.

My argument here is not that we go full throttle into nuclear energy. All I am asking is that we model out the cost benefits of actually looking at and analysing whether nuclear is even an option and whether it is worth looking at and investigating properly. We need to ensure we have energy security moving forward and look at all options.

I have outlined the Government position but that is not to suggest that others who have an interest or some ideas on this should not interrogate the information and the ideas and look into the future as to what is available elsewhere. Of course, I am sure there are educational facilities and research projects that could be engaged by those who are like-minded. From the Government's perspective it is now about being really focused on what we need to do to deliver and not becoming distracted from that. Of course, debates will exist elsewhere. On a personal level, I am happy to look at and review any data that emerges there. I have the answer to the question. I was thrown a bit by Deputy Byrne appearing when the question said-----

We will deal with Question No. 95. I call Deputy Byrne.

This relates to the question of energy demand and how we meet it and the importance of progressing as quickly as possible with the private wires policy and indeed the private wires Bill. I welcome the commitment in July by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, that he is going to progress on this. However, it is now of the essence that we move quickly. He did say it would be priority legislation. I hope the Minister of State can indicate a timeframe to the House today because we know about the demands for energy and we need to have movement on it as quickly as possible.

As the Deputy said, Cabinet approved the private wires policy on 15 July, details of which have been published on the Government website. The policy allows for private wires to be developed in four scenarios: to permit private wires linking a single generation asset to a demand site; to facilitate hybrid connections; where possible to facilitate EV charging; and to allow a customer that self-supplies to provide electricity to a separate customer in a contiguous premises. Work on drafting the necessary legislation to support the policy is now ongoing within our Department and the intention is to bring this legislation to Cabinet for approval in the near term.

As I said, the Department is working with the Office of the Attorney General to progress legislative reform to implement the recently published private wires policy. I expect that the general scheme of the private wires Bill will be submitted for Cabinet approval by quarter 4 of this year. I will keep the House updated on that matter.

The Minister of State knows how urgent this is. I am particularly thinking in terms of industrial demand and whether we can connect solar farms or wind farms into private industry or on the commercial side. In the development of our digital infrastructure, including data centres, it is critical that we move on this. I even suggest this in regard to housing because electricity supply is becoming a problem. A developer in my constituency who is ready to build homes came to me recently and said the only thing holding him up is the fact that ESB Networks is telling him that there is not sufficient supply in the particular area.

We need to set out ground rules and for the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities to be properly resourced. However, as a piece of legislation for this country's long-term economic development, this is essential. We need to see it enacted before next summer.

Following Cabinet approval the Department will work closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to commence drafting on the Bill in the new year before seeking Oireachtas approval. The legislation will be drafted to reflect the guiding principles of the policy statement and clarify the necessary regulations to build private wires in the policies for specified use cases. Plenty of examples have been brought to my attention, some of which are in my own constituency, where there are significant constraints on the capacity of the grid to meet the growing demand from industry, data centres and housing. There is an abundance of sites that are able to bring that electricity to the grid. It will be a useful tool in working our way around the constraints that are currently preventing significant development taking place. It is a priority of the Government. It was identified in the programme for Government as something that needs to be addressed and one on which no time will be lost. I thank the Deputy for his interest.

It is critical. When we have a number of companies that are ready to build that infrastructure, we need to facilitate them. We do not need them to be held up in the planning process for long periods. We need that private infrastructure to complement the State infrastructure as soon as possible.

I am very conscious of that. When there are entities and corporations that are prepared to invest their own capital in such schemes, it is an appropriate way to progress and grow our economy. We see the same in housing. It is about bringing in private capital to support infrastructure. It allows us to move more quickly and ensures that the State is not left funding all of it. For that reason, the Government is in full agreement with the Deputy that this important legislation needs to progress without delay.

Will the Minister of State provide an update on the percentage of grant applications to the SEAI schemes that are being withdrawn?

The Government is committed to continue delivery of the SEAI's residential and community energy upgrade scheme, which is central to achieving our national retrofit plan targets. This includes delivering more B2 home energy upgrades, revising and improving grants and financial models for homeowners and supporting group retrofits and area-based approaches in enhancing energy efficiency to reduce the cost for households. In budget 2025 a record €550 million was allocated across the SEAI's home energy upgrade schemes, which was an increase on 2024 when €421 million supported 53,984 home upgrades. This includes both part-funded schemes and fully funded upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty.

For homeowners seeking a whole home upgrade to achieve a BER of B2 or better, the national home energy upgrade scheme is the primary route. This scheme is delivered through the SEAI's registered one-stop-shop model which manages the entire process for the homeowner. In 2025, €51 million was allocated, up from €45 million in 2024. Delivery is strong. Some 1,474 upgrades were completed in 2024 and 1,062 homes had been retrofitted at the end of August 2025. That is a 21% increase on the same period last year.

At the start of the national homes energy upgrade scheme journey, homeowners undertake a home energy assessment which provides a detailed roadmap of the works and costs required for each to receive a rating of B2 or better. This empowers homeowners to make an informed decision on whether to proceed with a full upgrade or to choose individual measures under the SEAI schemes.

I asked a simple question - what was the percentage of people who withdrew from the SEAI scheme - and I did not get the percentage. People are telling me that they are withdrawing from the scheme or not applying to the scheme because they do not have the money. It turns out that the people who most need the retrofitting and the upgrading works to their house to bring them to at least a B2 standard cannot afford the money that is needed. For example, heat pumps cost anywhere from €8,500 to €20,000 but the maximum grant available from the SEAI scheme is €6,500.

I know a family in Farranree, Fairhill in Cork who could not get the scheme done. They are pensioners. They are not that old but they are retired. They could not get the scheme done in their house because they did not have the additional money to do it, but their neighbours across the road in an identical house could get it because they had the money. What are we doing? Can we get the figures on how many people are withdrawing? What are we doing to get the support to the people who most need it?

The SEAI has confirmed that it does not record applications that have been withdrawn. It only records them for homeowners who have agreed to proceed with the works through the one-stop shop. However, the SEAI has reported that over 3,500 homeowner efficiency assessments have been completed in 2025. That is the first step in the process. Approximately 44% of those have converted into grant applications under the SEAI. For homeowners who have received the home energy assessment, there are alternative upgrade pathways. I can provide the Deputy with information on the types of grants available. We have increased the amount of the grants from €3,500 to €6,500, with a €2,000 bonus. We have made significant investment in the scheme.

The Minister of State urgently needs to instruct the SEAI to collect data on people who withdraw their applications to the scheme. It needs to find out why people withdraw. A survey by AIB showed that 62% of people who wanted to retrofit and upgrade their houses to become more energy efficient could not afford to do so. The figures are showing that the people who need their homes upgraded and retrofitted, those who need support, cannot get it but the people who have the money and, in many cases, do not need the grants can get them. There is something wrong with the system. We need to know the information as to why people are withdrawing from the scheme and not taking it up. We also need to know why people are not applying.

I do not believe that the increases the Minister of State is talking about keep up to date with the construction inflation of the past three years. People are telling me they cannot afford to upgrade their homes. What are the Minister of State and the Government going to do to support people who need it?

There has been strong demand. There were almost 70,000 applications in 2024. There have been over 40,000 so far this year. Through the national retrofit programme, we are seeing further capital funding under the national development plan. We will see an additional €264 million through the European regional development fund. Local authorities will also have an opportunity through their energy efficiency retrofit programme, which will be funded through the Department of housing. In total, a huge amount of work is being done to support this. We are driving forward to try to reach our national targets. That is underpinned by record levels of investment. As I said earlier, demand is very strong. We are increasing the grant amount on a continuous basis.