€3m a week spent on refitting homes

RETIRED garda Brian Arrigan used to have to get up in the middle of the night, freezing, to put on the heating.

The 71-year-old is now one of thousands of homeowners saving money and enjoying more comfort thanks to funds which helped make his home more energy efficient.

The Government’s green jobs and homes initiative has seen a significant number of homeowners applying for grants to make their home improvements.