We have just sent off a letter to Minister Eamon Ryan addressing the worrying policy emerging from the DECC regarding changes to the SEAI communities grant scheme. The DECC now requires all SEAI ‘Communities’ grant applications to include a significant number of domestic dwellings. The result of this policy is that many enterprises both within the EcoMerit community and the Irish Economy will be denied access to key grant support, making it more difficult for them to meet the environmental targets recently laid down in the governments Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill.
Over the last 10 years EcoMerit members have surpassed government targets, averaging a carbon footprint reduction of 9% year on year. SEAI community grants were instrumental in achieving much of this progress. We are concerned that going forward this change in policy will impair grant access for our community as well as a number of other communities, SMEs, charitable organisations and large businesses that do not include domestic dwellings.
In light of the recent climate summit this policy seems to be a step in the wrong direction.
Check out our full letter here.
