Energy

Mica homeowners unable to claim energy grants after red tape row

Property owners trying to bring their houses up to modern standards have been locked out of the state’s retrofit scheme

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien: the government has previously told homeowners they will need to avail of SEAI retrofit grants if they want to bring their homes to current standards, but it has now emerged that householders are currently not eligible for the grants. Picture: Fergal Phillips

Some mica-impacted homeowners have been unable to avail of grants to fit their homes out with modern insulation and heating because there are currently no arrangements in place to allow them to claim the payments.

The government’s mica redress scheme is set up in such a way that grants provided to those affected will only cover the cost of restoring the houses to pre-2007 standards, meaning their redress won’t pay to bring their homes up ...