14 February 2007

Environment

 Energy Performance of Irish Housing

Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received a draft or final version of a report on the Energy Performance of Irish Housing funded by Sustainable Energy Ireland and carried out by the City of Dublin Energy Management Agency suggesting that only 2% of new housing units comply with Part L of the Building Regulations; his views on the veracity of this figure; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche):
My Department has not received a copy of the draft or final version of the Report referred to in the Question, although it has already had access to an extract from the executive summary to the Report. I understand that Sustainable Energy Ireland intend to publish the Report in the next eight weeks.

My Department will not be commenting on the contents of the Report until the full version of it is received and examined. I would expect that the Report's analysis will be valuable in guiding future policy and enforcement arrangements in relation to Part L requirements.