Nearly 100 Clare homeowners are awaiting thousands of euro in government funding to allow them make their homes more energy efficient.
Their total applications are likely to be worth hundreds of thousands of euro.
The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is funded by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
The Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low-income households who are vulnerable to energy poverty and meet eligibility criteria.
The average investment is €13,000 per house.
To date, over 3,000 homes have been upgraded at a cost of nearly €40 million, but the scheme is heavily over-subscribed and Minister Richard Bruton has told the Dáil that applications have been made for 5,600 homes, and are in the midst of the process.
95 of those are in Clare.
Applications are dealt with on a first come, first served basis and the typical waiting time is 18 months.
€52.8 million was announced in last year’s budget for the Warmer Homes scheme, but the Minister concedes that delays will continue.
