Highlights
- Applications for individual home energy upgrades are up 186% on Q1 2025; overall applications are up 96%
- Minister O'Brien has updated Cabinet colleagues on a very significant ramp-up in interest in Home Energy Upgrades
- New National Residential Retrofit Plan 2026 phased in a host of new, more affordable measures - 7,000 have already applied for windows and doors grants
- Data for the first quarter of this year from SEAI shows a very positive upward trend - in both demand and output. 73,000 upgrades are targeted this year
Today (April 21) Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien brought a Memo for Information to Government - to provide an update to Cabinet colleagues on the National Residential Retrofit Plan (announced in January of this year). The Programme for Government committed to take decisive action to provide warmer, more comfortable homes, as part of our drive to support energy affordability, security, and sustainability. The new National Residential Retrofit Plan was designed to deliver on this commitment - making home energy upgrades more affordable, and accessible to many more homeowners.
In Budget 2026, the Government provided a record allocation of 640 million, allowing us to target 73,000 home energy upgrades this year. The latest data from SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) shows that we are delivering on this increased ambition. The data also shows that the retrofit sector is mobilising and responding to growing interest in home energy upgrades, underpinned by Government-funded SEAI grant support.
The almost doubling of applications so far in 2026 (year-on-year) means that SEAI processed 29,000 applications from January to March. Among the most noteworthy increases are the following:
- over 7,000 applications for window and door upgrades (new grant)
- over 1,730 applications for attic insulation (up 81% year on year)
- over 1,000 applications for cavity wall insulation (up 62% year on year)
- over 350 applications for heat pump installations (up 95% year on year).
Over a quarter of a million Home Energy Upgrades since 2019:
Since 2019, over a quarter of a million (257,000) Home Energy Upgrades have been delivered since 2019, thanks to Government funding of over 1.7 billion.
Continued development of the SEAI retrofit schemes:
The National Energy Affordability Taskforce was formed to identify, assess and implement measures to enhance energy affordability for households. The Taskforce is now leading the response to the energy shock, and the immediate associated energy affordability challenge (with an initial focus - reflecting wider recommendations from both the EU and IEA - on demand measures to reduce energy use and make costs more affordable for households and businesses), as well as preparing an Energy Affordability Action Plan - to be completed in Quarter 3 of this year. This work includes examining how to support increased uptake of home energy efficiency upgrades and continued development of the SEAI retrofit schemes, in line with commitments in the Programme for Government.
Commenting, Minister O'Brien said:
"I am delighted to inform Government of this very welcome update on the National Residential Retrofit Plan, which I announced just a few months ago. As a Government, we committed to take decisive action to provide warmer, more comfortable homes - as part of our drive to support energy affordability, security, and sustainability. In the first quarter of the year, data shows a very clear and positive upward trend, with evidence of substantial growth in both demand and output.
"Applications to SEAI for individual home energy upgrades are up 186% on the first quarter of last year, and overall applications are up 96%. Through the work of the National Energy Affordability Taskforce, we will examine how to support further uptake of home energy efficiency upgrades, and this will inform continued development of the SEAI retrofit schemes."Minister O'Brien
William Walsh, CEO of SEAI, said:
"At a time when energy costs are a concern for many households, the near doubling of applications to SEAI grants this year to date shows the demand for affordable energy upgrades. The new and expanded grants are helping families to get the benefits of a warmer, healthier homes with lower energy costs. Generous grant support is available for windows and doors, attic and wall insulation, heat pumps, and solar panels as well as fully-funded energy upgrades under the Warmer Homes scheme. Whether you're planning to take it step-by-step, or to do a complete home energy upgrade, SEAI has a grant that will help you on your journey, reduce energy bills and increase comfort."William Walsh, CEO of SEAI
For more information, see SEAI's website: www.seai.ie/homeenergyupgrades.
The new National Residential Retrofit Plan is available here: National Residential Retrofit Plan.
