Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the allocation of €5.2 million to Galway County Council under the Government’s Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme.

The funding will allow the local authority to carry out energy upgrades on social homes across the county, helping to make homes warmer, more comfortable and cheaper to heat for tenants.

Welcoming the allocation, Minister Canney said the programme is making a real difference to people living in older council homes.

“This funding will allow Galway County Council to continue upgrading social homes across the county. These works make a genuine difference to people’s day-to-day lives – improving insulation, reducing energy bills and making homes more comfortable to live in.

“It’s important that while we continue building new homes, we also invest in improving the homes people already live in. Programmes like this ensure our social housing stock is modern, energy efficient and fit for the future.”

Minister Canney also noted that Galway City Council has been allocated €3.6 million under the programme to carry out similar retrofit works on social homes in the city.

The funding forms part of a €140 million national allocation announced by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, which will support the retrofit of around 3,500 social homes across the country.

Minister Canney said: “This investment will support further energy upgrades to council housing right across Galway. It’s good to see both the county and city councils receiving funding to continue this work.”

The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme supports deep energy upgrades to local authority homes, improving energy performance while also helping to reduce emissions and tackle energy poverty.