Energy Efficiency Upgrade for Council Houses

AROUND 25,000 council houses are set to get an energy efficiency upgrade as part of the Government's new stimulus package. The €14m plan is expected to create 1,000 building jobs and reduce the heating bills of council tenants.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin is due to bring a memo to Cabinet on Wednesday, detailing the plan along with other employment-boosting projects such as new school buildings and local road upgrades.

Many of the country's 120,000 council houses and flats date back to the 1950s and 1960s and have Building Energy Ratings of "G" or "F" – which means that tenants find it very difficult to keep them heated in winter.