AQO 3442/22-27 Oral question to the Minister for the Economy
To ask the Minister for the Economy to outline how her Department will support the deployment of more low carbon heating technologies in the residential sector.
Asked by Danny Donnelly MLA on 26 March 2026
- Answered
- Oral
- Answered in the Chamber
- Tabled
- 26 March 2026
- Answer due by
- 21 April 2026
- Answered
- 21 April 202626 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for the Economy
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Answered in the Assembly Chamber on 21 April 2026. Extract from the Official Report (Hansard), including any supplementary questions:
Dr Archibald
My Department published the Government response to the consultation on support for low-carbon heating in residential buildings on 26 January. The responses to the consultation are being used to inform policy decisions on the design of and rules and guidance for such support. In tandem with the consultation process, officials have been working on a design plan for a new domestic energy efficiency and low-carbon heat support scheme that will replace the NI sustainable energy programme (NISEP). The design plan is nearing completion, and the intention is to publish it in the coming months. The plan includes details on eligibility, funding options and quality assurance and outlines how the scheme will be managed and operated. Through the course of this year, work will focus on developing the required business case, procurement documentation and support scheme regulations. It is anticipated that a new support scheme will be launched in the latter part of 2027.
Mr Donnelly
Thanks to the Minister for that answer. The Department's consultation on low-carbon heating support closed in January 2025, which was over 15 months ago. The response that the Minister referred to was published in January this year, and it commits not to a scheme but to further consultation. Can she explain why it will take until at least 2027 to legislate for that? Does she accept that, for families who are still relying on heating oil, the pace of progress is not good enough?
Dr Archibald
I thank the Member for his question. I reflect the fact that it is important that we get support schemes right. Working through the detail and ensuring that what is put in place both works and is value for money are really important. That is something that this place has certainly learned over recent years. I accept that there are people who would like to be in a position to transition from fossil fuels more quickly, and we need to do as much as we can to help them do that. The support scheme is one element that will help people, particularly those in lower-income households, to do that. We also need to provide information, advice and guidance to support people to transition from fossil fuels. Again, that is something that we are working on through the Department. We support lower-income households in particular. We have provided additional money to the sustainable energy programme that is provided through the Utility Regulator, and we have topped that up over the past number of years. To date, that funding has helped 2,500 low-income households across the region, and we are topping it up again this year.
Mr Kelly
Will the Minister provide an update on the closure of the RHI scheme?
Mr Speaker
Briefly, Minister.
Dr Archibald
I thank the Member. As he will know, the RHI (Closure of Non-Domestic Scheme) Bill passed its Further Consideration Stage just yesterday. The Department has completed consultation on the policy proposals for the closure regulations, and a report on the outcome of the consultation has been published. We are finalising the draft regulations, with the aim of commencing formal Assembly processes for the regulations immediately following the enactment of the Bill.
Mr Speaker
We move now to topical questions.